Yesterday was Hardy Fuchsia adventure day with my partner of gardening overindulgence, Linda.  We took a road trip to a Fuchsia grower who needed to offload some plants prior to moving.  Added some great plants to the collection, however the freshly dug ones did not appreciate the back of a hot mini van.  Hopefully they will recover from a kelp bath soak, but I am afraid there will be some leaf drop.

 

 

Newly added to the collection are:

 

Fuchsia "Zipporah's Fuchsia", Fuchsia magellanica SW1 -99, Fuchsia President, Fuchsia Gracilis 'Tricolor', Fuchsia Dianna Wright, Fuchsia Thompsonii, Fuchsia magellanica 'Alba/Molinae', Fuchsia Hawkshead, Fuchsia Lottie Hobby, Fuchsia Macrostema, Fuchsia Margaret Brown, Fuchsia Porphyrio, Fuchsia Roswitha, Fuchsia Speciosa, Fuchsia Whiteknight's Amethyst, Fuchsia Whiteknight's Blush, Fuchsia David, Fuchsia Ocean Mist, Fuchsia Whiteknights Pearl.  Does anyone really need this many fuchsias?  Apparently I do.  Of course a few branches broke as well, they must be propagated into more Fuchsia's or kept as insurance over winter in the greenhouse.

 

 

Also managed to snap a few photo's of the current ones in the garden.  Need to get better about placing more permanent labels on the plants when I plant them!  Digging down 3" for the buried ones to find the name just isn't working so well.

 

Here is Fuchsia "Mephisto", Very Hardy, supposedly can reach 4ft, but mine has not gotten larger than about 2 1/2.  It's growing in dappled sun however, with only late afternoon direct sun.

 

 

 

 

 



I put together this combination by accident, trying to move pots around before my husband started harping on me about deck space again.  I just love the new fronds of Woodwardia unigemmata, it contrasts beautifully with the leaves of Giant Exhibition Coleus Limelight.  I have never seen leaves on a Coleus this big.  This will definitely be overwintered indoors for a repeat appearance next year.  The fern is a new addition to the garden this year planted up front and center on the deck, as it is supposed to get 7 foot fronds eventually, it will need to be relocated off the deck, but not for at least another year.  New foliage is red, mature foliage is green and hardy to z7 to boot, this one goes on the must have for any shady garden list.

The next door neighbor pot is the infamous Fuchsia boliviana, receiving just a tad of filtered morning sun. This was super easy to start from seed and surprisingly easy to grow.  I tossed the seeds in my uninsulated Seattle greenhouse in the fall, transplanted in the spring, and by July I had this pot full of luscious red drooping blooms.  I need to be brave and cut it back so it will rebloom again this year. Supposedly root hardy to brief frosts, I'm going to gamble and try to overwinter it up against the house, but not without taking a few insurance cuttings first.