Country diary: Why are orchids so mysterious and coveted? It all starts underground | Mark Cocker

Hogshaw, Derbyshire: We're up to 27 spotted orchids in our garden, and every one is a miracleWhen we moved to this house, we didn't need the encouragement of No Mow May - the ecological campaign advocating restraint in the garden. Our old lawnmower was designed to tackle your average handkerchief and leaving nine-tenths of the new place uncut was a matter of necessity as much as self-control.The highlight of last year's non-labouring efforts addressed directly the whole meaning of no-mow gardening. Who knows what lies hidden in a uniform shorn expanse, unless it is allowed to express itself? A slender pink flower among the green swathe turned out to be a spotted orchid, the commonest, most widespread of our 54 UK species. With this as a search image, I eventually climbed to 16 spikes last year. That alone felt like a triumph. Continue reading...