Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Gardeners in Cornwall will soon have the chance to get their green fingers on a new variety of fuchsia.Μύ

The cerise coloured flowers were discovered in a flowerbed at Duchy College Rosewarne near Camborne.

The new flower was found by Marshall Hutchens, a lecturer at Duchy College, Cornwall on the college's site at Rosewarne near Camborne.

Find out more by listening to Matt Pengelly's report:

The discovery was made last summer and now the 'Angel's Teardrop' is being sold by Stan Williams, manager of the college's nursery, who chose Diabetes UK as his niece has the condition.

A mass of colour

"When Marshall showed me the plant I immediately saw its potential and started the long process of registering the plant with the British Fuchsia Society," he explained.

"I wanted to use the sales of Angel's Teardrop to help Diabetes UK because my niece is diabetic, so the cause is very close to my heart.

Μύ"We hope to raise a lot of money for the charity."

A spokesperson for the college said 170,000 people in the South West are diagnosed with diabetes and nationally an estimated 750,000 are living with the condition undiagnosed.

"What is really special in this case is that the team at Duchy College are using such a significant horticultural find to raise money for a very worthy cause," said John Latham, Principal of Cornwall College.

There are thousands of different types of fuchsia, having been bred from a handful of wild species found in Mexico, the West Indies and New Zealand.

Colours tend to vary from pinks, purples, whites and reds to sober or flashy multi-coloured mixtures (although true yellow is still elusive).

Angel's Teardrop will be officially launched in Spring 2008 and will be featured at the Chelsea Flower Show on the Duchy College stand.

Fuchsia Tips

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Gardening experts say plant fuchsias in spring, with the roots slightly deeper than if they were in a container, to offer extra protection during winter.

Angel's Teardrops

Prune hard in spring, leaving just 15cm to 30cm (6in to 12in) of stem, from which new growth will shoot.

Plants grown as hedges should be less severely pruned, although a portion of the old frosted wood should always be removed.

Only prune when new breaking buds are visible.

If you have a question about plants and flowers don't forget our popular Gardening Phone In each Sunday from 9am with Tim Hubbard. You can hear the programme online too.

For lots more online tips on fuchsias visit the link below: