Me to my mum on the phone: "I'm just at Wisley, I'm meeting another blogger called Zoë, we're going to look at the fuchsias, there's a big fuchsia show here."
My mum: "Ha ha, sounds like all your childhood dreams have finally come true. Have you been waiting for this entire thirty years?"
I think she is referring to the slightly autistic fuchsia-collecting phase I went through when I was eight.
Ooh there was some good stuff going on in that marquee. There was some excellent plant sale action going on (there were people already leaving with plants while I was still milling around waiting to go in, and a queue for cars to get in the gate at Wisley stretching up the A3. Nightmarish).
Like, check out Barnsdale's stand (Geoff H's son). Yum yum.
I particularly went slightly loony for Eucomis "Sparkling Burgundy" - I'd never seen the flower before, it is geeeyyoorgeous.
The Solva sweetie shop was in evidence, for interested addicts:
With one particular purchase I think we should all be making:
Down the fuchsia end of the marquee, we were amazed by the splendour of the crazy floral fuchsia art, including this ginormous tree:
Others were similarly excited by the unique combination of homemade stuff and incredibly impressive plants:
I slightly got swept up into the moment, and found myself not only signing up for annual membership of the British Fuchsia Society, but also buying a society car sticker. Still, at least now I'll be able to tell which of the 235 navy blue Golfs in my street is actually mine.
And then Zoë and I found the lady getting people to try her fuchsia jam! It was really tasty.
And then Zoë and I found the lady getting people to try her fuchsia jam! It was really tasty.
Fuchsia lady's recipe (determinedly Imperial):
1 1/2 lb ripe fuchsia berries (collect them in the freezer till you've got enough - a large Clover container is the right amount)
3 tbsp water or apple jiuce
3/4 lb sugar
juice of half a lemon
Boil slowly together till the juice is extracted, strain. Add sugar to the lemon and add to 1 pint of fuchsia liquid. Place over a low heat until the sugar dissolves then boil rapidly until it sets once tested.
Pour into hot jars and cover at once.
So finally, friends, please never forget:
