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5 September 2010

Taking cuttings

I've just taken half a dozen cuttings from the Cornish fuchsia I found at St Anthony in Meneage a few years ago. It's hardy and forms a good hedge there in the Cornish fashion, along the steps down to the churchyard. However, it's a much lusher type than the usual Cornish fuchsia. As this photo should show, the leaves are reddish, the stems very red and the flowers larger and more vivid, with a dark blue centre. The parent plant in Cornwall was heavily affected by last winter's deep frosts and I lost all but one of my own cuttings which were in the greenhouse. I'm aiming to cover a quite difficult area of my own garden with it, at the top of my front steps in a narrow poor-soil bed between the wall and my boundary fence.
I also took some cuttings from a fuchsia I 'borrowed' from Cadgwith last September. I was walking up the hill to the car park and saw a small, rather neglected looking fuchsia with unusual flowers. They were small and unshowy, but were two red colours - again the photo should make this clear (although I think it looks rather more pink than it should). There was one stem suitable for a cutting and I have to confess I decided to take it. It travelled all the way home in the top of a water bottle and it was touch and go through the winter as to how well it was rooting and growing. However, once I potted it on early in the Spring, it raced away and grew into a sturdy small potted specimen, covered in these delightful red flowers. I don't know whether it's hardy, so once I've increased my stock, I'll plant one out in the open ground next year and see how it does!Posted by Picasa

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