For the Love of Orchids
Caryn Hibbert
Orchids are one of the largest families of flowering plants and are the national flower of many exotic places, from Costa Rica to Guatemala, Singapore to Assam. Their glamorous blooms are brightly coloured and very long living, with bilateral symmetry and a highly modified petal called the labellum or ‘lip.’ The many different varieties are instantly recognisable as an orchid.
Wild orchids in the water meadows
Its association with hotter climes, although rather fitting for our new poolside bar, is not, however, the reason we have named it ‘The Orchid House,’ but rather our delight in finding the diminutive early purple orchid flourishing on its sedum roof.
In Great Britain, we have 52 different species of wild orchid; many are incredibly rare but as we see more interest in the conservation of habitats where orchids thrive, we celebrate their exquisite and delicate beauty.
The bee orchid is a particular favourite. Its distinctive flowers are instantly recognisable, the labellum having evolved to resemble a female bee. The male bee, attracted to the figure, lands on the labellum and in doing so, pollen is deposited on the bee. As it continues its journey to other flowers, it distributes the pollen, ensuring fertilisation. Some orchids are dependent on a single insect species for pollination, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction with habitat loss. Today, the bee that is needed to fertilise our native bee orchid does not reside in the UK at all, and although the orchid continues to look like a bee and charm us with its cleverness and guise, it has evolved to have no nectar and instead self pollinate.
The seeds produced by orchids are some of the smallest produced by any plant. Huge numbers, like dust, are blown by the wind in late summer so we can enjoy more swathes of pink orchids in years to come.
We are celebrating everything pink in the Orchid House by the pool: a pale & rosy elderflower pressé; the delicately blushed Thyme rosé made especially for us by our friends at Domaine de Grande Bastide; and a delectable pink English sparkling from Castle Brook vineyard from the Wye Valley in south Herefordshire. All we need is some sunshine to raise a glass to the English summertime.
The Orchid House
Get lost in nature and embrace serenity in our newly opened Orchid House. Inspired by the radiancy of the orchid, escape into the natural world while unwinding by our spring water swimming pool. This ‘residence only’ area offers you a space of rejuvenation while being in-between spa visits, dipping in the pool or sipping on a cool glass of summer drinks.
