Three orchid species flowering in a wild flower lawn in West Sussex

 Below is one of the wild flower lawns in my West Sussex garden today.

Central in the picture above is a Fragrant orchid.

Click to expand the pictures.

Two other species are Southern marsh orchid

and ten or more Common-spotted orchids

Yellow Rattle has spread around nicely too.

Insect life is intense and the whole lawn area is species-rich and alive with colour.

A beautiful result from benign neglect.

See also http://www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk/page19.html for details of a talk on "the evolution of a formal garden to a nature reserve – how to enjoy a garden more with less effort!"

Wildflower lawn flowers and insects

 

My wildflower lawn is full of buttercups now.  And feeding on the pollen is Malachius bipustulatus, a beetle, which feeds mainly on grass pollen but here on a buttercup.  The larvae hunt other insects under loose bark.  Ref: Collins complete guide to British insects. 

A dozen Common-spotted orchids are pushing up their flower stems.

And a Southern Marsh orchid flower is further advanced.

No mow May: Linnet feeding on Dandelion seeds on a garden lawn

 Just lock up your lawnmower on May 1st and let the wild flowers in your lawn bloom, providing a feast of nectar for our hungry pollinators.  Ref: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/no-mow-may

However, an unmown lawn can also become the largest bird feeder in your garden.  This morning a female Linnet was feasting on dandelion seeds, which had been allowed to flower in an unmown section of lawn.

Here is a host of photo's of this one delightful bird.

The Linnet was in the middle of this lawn.  Green and Goldfinches also regularly visit to eat the leaves of Cat's-ear, which at https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/cats-ear-plants/using-cats-ear-plants.htm is claimed to be edible.  I'll try it for lunch today.  Anything can be eaten once.