16 Oct. 2008
Stourhead
Feeling a bit unhinged by this morning’s abrupt transition from the stale, rather en chaleur* atmosphere of The Spread Eagle Inn (which had been commandeered by a troupe of “arboreal performance artists”) to the observational rigours of a walk around Stourhead Gardens before finally rushing off to Bradley House for high tea with Lord Seymour and the incomparable Lady Arlette.**
*Redolent of damp chipmunk, rotting chestnuts, and jacked-up Yorkie bars.
**Her aversion to peonies, bundt cake, and papillons as intact as ever!
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
19 April 2008
During my last visit at Pixley Manor I felt strangely compelled to sign off on one of Lady Twiselton’s painfully elaborate hybrids (Rhyncostele hortensia X Oncidium cavendishii X an overly incentivised Honduran Stanhopea). Apparently, ‘La Martiana’ will be anchoring her Mexican Show Table at this year’s Sussex Orchid Group’s Autumn Festival in High Hurstwood. Mercifully I had already declined a spot on the SOG Judging Panel!
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
19 September 1987
Pürgg-Trautenfels
I’ve been observing alarming levels of Faunenwandel (e.g., renegade somewhat theatrical Marmotini) throughout the entire Wörschachwald!
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
25 April 2006
En route to the notoriously cryptic Füssen Orchideen Gesellschraft for Princess Margaretha’s presentation on “Die wunderbare Welt der Kleinorchideen.” Not exactly a showstopper [Publikumshit?]; I can only pray she’ll go off-topic within the first 30 seconds (between her recent stint in a Swiss rehab and a mild case of Tourette’s this is a Princess that never disappoints).
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
March 2004
Nevada Impressions
1. Between the interminable banjo music and the rather off-putting smell of an oversauced Tafelspitz my overnight with Sheriff Daggett was clearly an inexcusable bit of ‘wishful thinking.’ 2. Wrangling with a towelette at 110 mph: NOT RECOMMENDED!
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
Sept. 2013
Fairwarp Manor
Reluctantly agreed to meet the “new arrivals”* at Fairwarp Manor’s Bulbophyllum Breeding Programme.
*Huxley, Vivienne, ‘Insolencia,’ Tiddles, Connie Piffard, Pudelmütze, and Tremella.
Cedric Maunder, Friar’s Gate
