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Emma Pritchard goes in search of wild flowers through the summer months - will you be joining her?
With their exotic appearance and dainty petals, orchids are some of the most exquisite wild flowers to be found in the countryside. This month sees many of the species at their peak and, with places such as Box Hill and Norbury Park (near Dorking) boasting more than 17 different varieties, including the common spotted, bee, pyramidal (first image) and fly orchid (second), it’s well worth a visit to see them.
The flowers flourish predominantly in chalk grassland areas so head to these parts first. At Norbury Park, follow the self-guided trail from the Young Street car park to take in some of the orchid hotspots or download a map online.
I'm sure many you have an interest in wild flowers - or at least a desire to learn more about them. If so, you should consider signing up to the National Plant Monitoring Survey.
More than 2,000 volunteers are needed throughout the UK. Together, they'll note the different species found in a variety of 1km squares of land. You'll receive full and free training on what to look for.
Check the website for full details.
Read more of Emma's great ideas for making the most of the countryside in her monthly magazine column* or on her blog, craftandcountry.com; you can follow her on Twitter @craftandcountry
