Fuchsias are gorgeous with their striking and colourful blossoms, just coming into flower at this time of the year in all their magenta glory. Originating primarily from Central and South America, these plants have become popular worldwide for their ornamental beauty and have naturalised into several areas of the British Isles, including the Isle of Man. Known as 'Jeiryn Yee' (God's Tears) in Manx, this flower has featured on Manx stamps, coins and numerous artworks by Manx artists.
I was lucky enough to visit the wonderful forest garden of my friend Pat Kelly this week and noticed a beautiful fuchsia bush near her house. There were so many wonderful plants in the forest garden that I decided to write about fuchsias this week and will cover more of the treasures in the forest garden in a couple of weeks, once I've had a chance to do more sketches from my many photographs.
Fuchsias belong to the family Onagraceae and encompass over 100 species and numerous hybrids. The flowers typically feature a distinctive shape with a tubular base and flaring petals, often resembling dancing ballerinas. They come in a variety of vibrant colours, including shades of pink, red, purple, and white, making them a favourite for gardeners and landscapers looking to add a splash of colour to their gardens.
Fuchsias have shown a remarkable ability to naturalise in the British Isles, adapting well to the temperate climate. The mild, damp conditions of the British Isles are conducive to the growth of many fuchsia species, particularly the hardy Fuchsia magellanica. This species, native to the temperate regions of South America, thrives in many coastal areas and sheltered inland locations. Fuchsia magellanica was very popular in the Isle of Man in Victorian and Edwardian times and can still be seen in many of the gardens and hedgerows of the Island.
The naturalization of fuchsias on the Isle of Man has had both ecological and aesthetic impacts. Fuchsias provide a valuable nectar source for pollinators such as bees, moths and butterflies. The sound of a fuchsia bush, frenetic with bee activity, is one of the sounds of summer and can be experienced on this YouTube video by Manx Walks. Aesthetically, the vibrant flowers of naturalised fuchsias add a splash of colour to the Manx landscape, particularly in late summer and early autumn. Despite their non-native status, fuchsias have integrated harmoniously into the flora of the Isle of Man, becoming a beloved part of the Manx scenery. Their success in naturalising highlights their resilience and adaptability to a range of environmental conditions.
Their vibrant colours and elegant, pendulous blossoms have been depicted in paintings, botanical illustrations, textiles, and ceramics. Artists often emphasize the harmonious hues of pink, purple, and red, contrasting with the green of their leaves, as well as the delicate structure of the petals and stamens. In decorative arts, fuchsias appear in patterns on fabrics, wallpapers, and pottery, where their lively colours and graceful shapes add a touch of natural beauty and sophistication. Many local artists feature fuchsias in their designs, including Kathryn Cain, Element Isle and Colleen Corlett. Colleen Corlett also designed the 1988 Isle of Man Post Fuchsia stamps as well as the 1998 Flowers stamp release that featured the Fuchsia 'Lady Thumb'. Isle of Man coins have also featured the flower, with the 1984 half-penny featuring a fuchsia on a shield and a set of flower fairy coins in the 1990s including the Fuchsia Fairy.
Pat, who's garden I visited, was telling me that she's used the fuchsia plant as a dye. Pat is very knowledgeable about natural dyes and uses many in her textile work. She's also a trained scientist and keeps a close record of what she's used to create her natural colours. Pat has very kindly allowed me to include a photo showing the colour produced from the leaves and flowers of the fuchsia plant used together.
As the TT is currently running on the Isle of Man, I thought I'd add in this image of possibly the first motorbike on the Isle of Man. I discovered the image when searching the iMuseum website for information on fuchsias, as the gentleman, Percy Brooke, is pictured outside Fuchsia Cottage at Barregarrow. The photo was taken during the late 19th century and shows a Brown bike and trailer.
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