pumpkinstrokemarrow

On Monday to Wisley, which as far as I can make out is our first visit since last spring, when we visited on 9th February and 10th March. I think I must have got in a muddle because is has taken a lot of faffing around with blog search, google search and wimdows explorer search to establish this elementary fact and I can only plead in mitigation that one of the relevant entries turned up by google was confusingly assigned to both February and March. Clearly getting too old for this sort of foot soldiering.

Started off with elevenses, which in my case included a pastry which was warm and fresh but which was mainly a vehicle for a large amount of fat and sugar. I prefer a bit more carb..

First proper stop was lots of autumn dwarf cyclamen. Second stop was lots of autumn crocuses, which BH was quite sure were not crocuses at all. Which google confirms, assigning them to a different genus, the colchinums. A different genus despite looking just like large crocuses of the proper sort and growing from bulbs just like crocuses of the proper sort. However, I was quite unable to get the two sorts of crocus on the same taxonomical tree so some of the mystery remains.

Then off to the north arboretum where we were once again dazzled by the huge variety of pine trees. All sorts of shapes and sizes. Then to the hot house for the huge variety of hot plants there, being particularly keen on the hot dry ones. Apart from being hot, I was rather reminded of being in an art gallery. Lots of earnest people peering at works of art in an unnatural environment, in this case works by nature rather than by an artist. Nature has been very generous in its provision of plants, our seeming to have a lot more sorts of large plant than we have sorts of large animal - for which there is no doubt some simple eco-reason.

Also struck by the large numbers of hot plants from either South Africa or Mexico, although by way of variety our mother in law's tongue (see October 8th) seems to be of Nigerian origin.

Then to lunch, on this occasion deciding not to use the canteen and gave the restaurant a go instead. Discrete and efficient service. Fairly short menu - probably sensible for this sort of place. I liked my smoked halibut starter, despite not usually being that keen on this particular fish, despite its habit of growing to prodigious size. Chicken satisfactory but I could find no trace of the advertised puy lentils among the bits and bobs surrounding the chicken. Vegetable supply a bit short altogether. Golden fruit sponge marred by the inclusion of ginger in the fruit, a root of which I am not hugely fond. There was also far too much custard but that was OK as BH was not having pudding but was content to hoover up most of my custard, being rather fonder of the stuff in soup format than I am. Water served cold but otherwise OK. Overall, low on volume and high on calories, but an entirely decent lunch for the occasion. Light enough to enjoy as part of a visit, rather than so heavy as to terminate the visit. We also learned that all the catering at Wisley - there are maybe half a dozen fooderies there - are run by a catering contractor. Also probably sensible.

Then down to the south field through a splendid hill side garden full of all kinds of strange and unusual hydrangeas to find what looked very like the Henry Moore statue which used to live near the Serpentine, although the finish appeared to be some thick white paint rather than the limestone I remember. A little googling today establishes that there are a number of these Moore arches about and that this one is made of white fibre glass, and is indeed different from the one that I remember. While the ladybirds seemed keen on the fibre glass, large numbers of them being parked on it, I now know that while I prefer travertine to fibre glass for these purposes (even if it does not wear very well. See 21st July), Moore remains far and away my favourite sculptor for outdoor sculpture.

Along the way we came across a sign saying that something was sponsored by the Witan Investment Trust, an outfit which their web site says offers private investors a portfolio of global equities managed by a selection of hand-picked managers chosen because of their success at delivering long-term growth. Their web site is also one of the many which throws Chrome into a sulk these days. Must talk to the people at BT support about this: last time they moved me from some beta version of Chrome to a real one. Hopefully they have a few more tricks up their sleeve as Chrome, which I like, is becoming tiresome. Presumably the RHS is out there touting for corporate sponsors, along with lots of other attractions in the land.

We also came across a strong and sickly smell, which one might have thought came from a restaurant kitchen ventilation system, maybe the staff restaurant given the position. But no, it turned out to be the distinctive smell of what was described as the largest deciduous tree to be found in Asia.

All in all, a tribute to the wealth of attractions in and around Epsom that we visit this one so rarely.