New Orchid Garden for Shepreth
The Parish Council, supported by a successful grant application to South Cambridgeshire District Council, has created an orchid garden – a sustainable biodiversity project in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee that we hope will also contribute to the wellbeing of residents and visitors to Shepreth.
We have purchased and planted 50 indigenous orchid plug plants to add to an existing area of wildflower meadow opposite to the Old Mill in Fowlmere Road, in the heart of the village and established around a tree planted in 1953 to celebrate the Queen’s coronation. The meadow is owned by South Cambridgeshire District Council and is on one of the main walking routes through the village.
We have planted only indigenous orchids – Bee Orchids, Spotted Orchids, Southern Marsh Orchids – to be followed later in the year with either Tway Blade or Green-winged orchids. The project has been developed with Dr Wilson Ward of Bewdley Orchids.
The orchids are being planted and maintained by volunteers supported by two professional gardeners living in Shepreth (Joy and Peter Rocket) who also oversee the maintenance and development of the existing wildflower meadow.
Whilst a few, more mature, orchids have already flowered, we do not expect the vast majority to flower until 2023. We will keep the village informed with more photographs in due course.