Little monkeys

Another intrepid adventure today with Rosie to meet my orchid friends in Kent to see the Monkey and Lady orchids.
Sadly the gate to the car park at Yokletts bank was firmly padlocked so we only saw the monkeys at Park Gate Down on this occasion.
The Monkey orchid Orchis simia, gets it's common name from the fact that the flowers look like little monkeys (see extra). Mainly a European species it can only be found in a couple of locations in the UK. 
The pink flowers are odd in the fact that the flower stalk opens from the top downwards and not bottom upwards as in other orchids, which tends to produce a 'ball shaped' rather than pyramidal flower.
We had a wonderful day.....such a shame it's work tomorrow!