Would you take cuttings from public plants?

[dolkapots]

I drive past lots of big busy/shrubby hebes etc in supermarket carparks and the like and wondered if it is ok to take a cutting? In theory I don't believe it is stealing, is this an acceptable 'thing' or should i just part with my dosh and buy them?

I think it's absolutely fine with non-wild plants in that kind of setting, provided you're not taking loads and loads or damaging it in any big way. After all, they get chopped back (often badly) by gardeners ever so often. I think there's a generosity in nature that's just meant to be enjoyed and not hoarded. (This is the great thing with sharing rarer plants with friends: if yours die, you have a backup!)

Of course, it's different if something has clearly been pruned into a special shape and you're wrecking it, but that's not what we're talking about here. And absolute no-no to taking anything from the wild, but (again) that's completely different.

I'd do it, so long as no one saw me it wasn't detrimental to the plant or arrangement.