Visiting gardens/taking cuttings

I met spoke to a guy at the allotment today who was busily potting up cuttings. As the chat unfolded I found out he had visited a local National trust garden and had gone prepared, with a pair of secateurs, roll of plastic bags to place cuttings in.

I've never heard of this being done before and he told me that many people do it, its almost expected...apparently.

So my question is, would you visit a garden and "help yourself" to cuttings? And is this as common place as he recounted to me?

Steve...

 

One garden I used to visit had a sign up asking people not to pinch bits of plant material, because although each person who took cuttings thought 'a tiny sprig won't do any harm', over the course of a weekend it was enough to do quite a lot of damage.

No, I wouldn't just help myself to bits of plant and I think most people who visit NT gardens behave decently. I'd rather just go and buy something I've admired from a garden centre.

 

I've never done this nor have I seen anyone else do it.

This bloke says "it's almost expected"? I don't think so. Sounds like he's trying to justify himself.

 

I'm appalled at people who do this. It's actually theft. A huge amount of work goes into the upkeep of gardens of NT properties and the like, so that everyone can enjoy their beauty. It makes me very angry that people are so selfish and dishonest, especially if they go prepared with bags & tools to snip away wholesale!!!

 

I agree with Lindyco, it is theft. The plant, and any part of it, belongs to the NT. So leave it alone.:gnthb:

 

most places SELL cuting from their plants,he could have bought one.

 

No I would not be so 'prepared' in my vandalism of other peoples things! That's quite shocking isn't it, especially to take so many.

I do confess to breaking the odd piece off shrubs growing over onto public land. But only done that twice.

Once was last year when I broke off a few bits off an overgrown, 9ft escalonia hedge which edged a public carpark. One good element to councils being so slow on maintenance of their hedges!

 

vandalism? more like terrorism! Taking anything without permission is theft, the law is quite clear on that, and arriving 'equipt' to carry out such an act is much worse, as intent is premeditated.

As the ancient saying goes; two wrongs don't make a right. Trying to justify his actions by comparision with others, is well, juvenile.

 

No, I don't think it is right to take cuttings.

However, I was at one big house with a lovely garden where by chance there was a conducted tour round the garden by a senior gardener. I stayed chatting to him after the tour had finished, and he offered me cuttings of three plants we had been talking about. So its always worth asking, but I suspect that you have to strike up some sort of raport beforehand.

 

I think your spot on the money here, if they are offered then it is perfectly ok.

 

I can't remember where now, although I don't think it was a National Trust property, but I have visited gardens which offer 'private tours' whereby you paid a little extra on top of the normal entrance fee for a guided tour conducted by one of the gardeners. One of the 'perks' of such a tour (apart from the professional advice) was that visitors were invited to jot down any plants which particularly interested them and, at the end of the tour, we gave the guide a list of up to 3. We then had to wait a short while, but afterwards were each presented with a box containing pots in which was a freshly taken cutting of our chosen plants. Professionally taken, potted and packaged meant the cuttings had far more chance of survival than some twiggy bit being dropped in a plastic bag and the parent plant remained for others to enjoy.

Presumably Steve R's guy also sees nothing wrong with shoplifting.

 

No way would I agree with taking anything from any garden.
I'd happily go and buy a plant if I thought I wanted it in my garden but I certainly would not ''help'' myself to cuttings.

 

IMHO it is stealing from members of the NT and public who are paying to enjoy the plants.

 

I don't pinch cuttings from gardens, but I do pinch seeds. I don't think there's anything wrong with that is there?

I occassionally pinch cuttings from public parks etc though. Got a beautiful blue Cistus from an overgrown pub garden last year.

 

I thought that revulsion would be the case on this subject, if someone invited or otherwise took cuttings from my garden...I woud be livid. If they asked...I would gladly pot one up for them though.

Last June , Anne and I visited Dalmain near Ullswater, a beautiful old garden and I was struck by a white Foxglove I saw there. So much so that a week later I returned to the plant shop and bought two of them, saved the seed and now have a dozen of them growing away in the greenhouse, soon to go in the border. It costs nothing to ask, and I think most gardeners would be only too happy to give away cuttings with as Peter says...a little garden talk first.

The guy on our allotment had around 20 or so plants...

Steve..