The cliffs and hills around Dover have long been known for their large and often robust colonies of Early Spider Orchid Ophrys sphegodes, some stems producing up to ten flowers. In May 1998, even larger plants were discovered on Samphire Hoe, the nature reserve and picnic area below Shakespeare Cliff, which was created out of 5 million cubic metres of chalk marl, dug out from beneath the seabed to create the Channel Tunnel.
