Hundreds of Fragrant Orchids cover the slopes in June
Park Gate Down nature reserve (now called the Hector Wilks Reserve) is approximately eight hectares of chalk grassland and scrub looked after by the Kent Wildlife Trust. It is a very special place to visit especially during the months of May and June when many orchids can be seen. Due to its position on a steep slope it is quite likely the area has never been ploughed and the thin, nutrient-poor soil of the chalk downland makes it the kind of place where many varieties of orchid like to grow.
I never forget my first visit to the reserve a few years ago when I found a Monkey Orchid. I didn’t know at the time what I was looking at but knew it was something special and when I discovered I had found a very rare plant indeed and it was an orchid I was fascinated and wanted to find out more. Since then I have developed a keen interest in orchids and finding where and how they grow. I’ve been to many locations looking for orchids but I always return to Park Gate Down knowing it’s just a wonderful place to spend some time as well as to see the orchids that grow there. For me the best time to be there is in late June when the Fragrant Orchids are at their best and I have often been the only one there: with the sound of the Blackcaps and Yellowhammers for company it can be really magical in the late afternoon sunshine.
In the autumn and winter months the reserve is grazed by Konik ponies and sometimes Highland cattle too. This encourages a huge diversity of plant species and prevents more invasive plants covering the site. During the summer months extensive scrub cutting and hand pulling and cutting of the invasive weeds also goes on to help maintain the area of flower-rich grassland.
Spectacular displays of Cowslip can be seen in the springtime and if you are quiet you may even discover an Adder sunning itself too. May is the time to visit to see the Monkey Orchids and in recent years their numbers have been increasing, which is wonderful to see. Later in the year there are Common Spotted, Fragrant, Pyramidal and even Bee Orchids, and also the rare Late Spider Orchid: a Kent speciality. There are even some Musk Orchids, a tiny plant almost the same colour as the grass but once you get your eye in you can usually spot many of them. This is one orchid where you have to get down on your knees to smell. It may only be a few inches tall but the fragrance is stunning and smells like honey.
Park Gate is one very special place but it's also an environmentally sensitive site too so if you do visit remember to keep to the footpaths as many feet can do a lot of damage
