County Antrim: Sixty rare orchids pop up in school meadow

A bee on one of the Irish Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) orchids found in Ballymena

More than 60 rare orchids have been found in a wildflower meadow created by a County Antrim school.

The Irish Lady's Tresses were found at Cambridge House Grammar School in Ballymena. There are only 2,000 of the flowers to be found in Europe.

Northern Ireland is home to most of them.

The school set aside an area near its playing fields two years ago as part of a project to encourage pollinators.

The wildflower meadow is at Cambridge House School in Ballymena

The delicate white orchids were found this summer, much to the delight of project coordinator Rachel Conway.

She described it as a "rare and stunning plant".

The orchid is normally found on damp ground

"It was the simplest thing to do, stop mowing, then mow once at the end of September, lift your cuttings and take them away and don't mow again until the following year.

"You can achieve amazing biodiversity at no extra cost and with less effort."

Project co-ordinator Rachel Conway and orchid expert Sean Cole examine one of the flowers

Senior teacher Myrtle Spence said the school used the wildflower meadow in its science lessons and it had been a great addition to pupils' learning.

"It gives them that bit of hands-on experience of wildlife, habitats and ecosystems.

"It has been a wonderfully enriching experience for the children."

She said that now the orchids had popped up they'd have to be careful not to step on them in future.

Senior teacher Myrtle Spence said the children's education had benefitted from the wildflower project

Orchid expert Sean Cole, who is compiling a field book on UK and Irish orchids, visited the site to see for himself.

He was amazed to see the orchids prosper on an urban site by a main road.

The flower normally favours damp ground close to wetlands.

"They are the king of plants, they're the top end of the evolution for plants. They're fascinating," he said.