We were walking home this morning along one of the two drives that connect Dunrobin Castle to the A9 when a sharp-eyed Mrs MW spotted an orchid in the grass at the side of the road.
It was one of two, the other much smaller. The colour is very similar to the early marsh orchids we found at Littleferry and Golspie golf course but the shape of the lowest petal is much narrower, and the leaves have no dark spots.
Identifying orchids is a nightmare but this looks like an early marsh orchid, though that species often comes in other colours, including dark and light pinks, and white, as well as this purple.
A little further along the road she found three more which, again, look much the same as the others but...
....a closer look at the flowers suggests this is not an early but a northern marsh orchid. This species is characterised by a wider lower petal with diamond-shaped 'tooth' at the base of the lip, as well as lacking spots on its leaves.
Suddenly, and joyfully, Sutherland's orchids are appearing fast.
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