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JA - Desert Island Fuchsias
Now I am no Joanna Luinley but if I landed on a Desert island "these are a few of my
favourite things" (no Julic Andrews either!) that I would like to have with me.
My make up box , and of course "Charlie" to keep
me sweet and fresh. A bottle of my favourite wine and another of sherry to keep me going,
and a little light reading supplied by Catherine Cookson. Along with these would be just
by chance, (don't you know) my ten favourite fuchsias. They would be:
- Royal Velvet - a real beauty which I once grew to eight feet high and
with it won the beginners' class at our show, It is one of the best doubles, with red tube
and sepals and deep purple corolla.
- Pink Marshmallow - a large double flowered fuchsia with white tube,
sepals and corolla, all with a hint of pink. I won first prize with this variety grown in
a half-basket.
- Celia Smedley - a large single with pale pink sepals and vivid currant
red corolla. It has always been a long term favourite.
- President Margaret Slater - a basket variety that I have won with
several times. Slow to come into flower - I encouraged it by giving it verbal advice;
"hurry up! it's nearlyshowtime!" A single tube and sepals creamy white corolla
deep plum pink.
- Collingwood - a double, tube and sepals pure white, corolla pale pink.
A favourite that is permanently planted in my garden.
- Southgate - a lovely double, with upturned sepals medium pink and
corolla powder pink. I used this in a patio container and won first prize.
- Genii - a single flowered hardy variety with yellowish green foliage
with red veining. The tube and sepals are red with violet corolla. Has been planted in my
garden for nineteen years and I love it because the flowers and foliage compliment each
other so well.
- Marinka - a single flowered basket variety, not easy to grow as the
foliage marks easily, but, grown well, is a show stopper. Tube and sepals rich red,
corolla slightly darker.
- Devonshire Dumpling - as the name suggests the flowers look like
dumplings. A double with a short white tube and sepals neyron rose tipped with green. The
corrola is white with outer petals pink.
- Heather Rose - is similar to Lena, as basket variety with semi-double
flowers. Tube and sepals pale pinmk, corrola deep purple.
- Joyce Adey - raised by a fellow member and friend Ken Forward who, for
my eightieth birthday presented me with this new introduction. A fine double with
short tube, both tube and sepals are rose. Corrola dark rose.
When evening falls and I catch the last glimpse of my
selection, I will sit and think about my eighteen years with the society ad I shall raise
my glass to all the good folks I have met. Ah, happy days.
JA - Member
First published in the 2000 Year Book.
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