Believe it or not, my hanging baskets filled with a mix of Southgate and Swingtime fuchsias are still going strong. They are full of buds and flowers and I keep picking off the quickly developing seedheads as fast as I can. I have never known such a glorious display in my hanging baskets and so no guesses as to what I shall be growing next year! Unfortunately, it won't be long until the winter frost arrives and nips at them. Fuchsias are, however, deciduous shrubs and develop woody stems. If overwintered with protection against frost, they will wake up next spring and begin to flower all over again. The only problem I ever had with fuchsias, and I grew them in a previous garden (where I hung them from a pergola) is the vine weevil. It's a pest in all senses of the word.
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| Southgate fuchsia with its dazzling stamens (red) and pistil (creamy white) |
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| Southgate fuchsia, heaven for pollinating insects |
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| Southgate fuchsia, after the rain |
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| Swingtime fuchsia, after the rain |
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| Swingtime fuchsia, in decline |
