Fuchsia Lena

Lovely...

So pretty.

And its hardy too, and really easy to propagate- but rather lax so it needs to hang over a low wall or something.

I love this variety,and kept mine going for over 20 years,as it was from my mum's garden..sadly it succumbed to the severe winter..so I am going to get another one..

I can send you one if you like - pm me.

I have sent you a PM..thanks .:o)

Do you grow many different Fuchsias? Hywel has many, many plants! The most I've ever had were about 6 or 7 different varieties which I grew in hanging baskets a couple of years ago. Now I have only two that have managed to survive the last 2 winters, that have been unusually severe, one of Snowcap (out of 4 plants) & one that I've now identified as Sarah's Delta (2 out of four plants)

My 3 standards of Beacon died during this last winter even though they were in the same position as the previous 7 or 8 years.

I think I made a blog on my Fuchsias as well as uploading some to My Photos.

I have mostly hardy ones. I have Beacon, all three Thumbs (Lady, Tom and Son of Thumb), Lena, Alice Hoffman, Minuet and a semi double that I think is Garden News but not sure. I also have two with flowers like magellanica but they only grow vigorously to just over a foot high. I bought the second one in error not in flower as I thought it was Beacon Rosa. I also have a nice red and white double that was here when we came. I impulse-bought Winston Churchill this summer and will overwinter it in the conservatory as it isn't hardy. I also have some rooted cuttings of Annabel and a couple of really struggling Paula Jane from my sister, but won't be surprised if those don't make it. Another tender one is Southgate, which is still in full flower in a tub - needs bringing in but I hate to disturb it. I did make a standard with its parent some years ago but it got too big and I gave it away. It wasn't really a suitable variety for a standard, but it was so pretty I thought I'd try. Oh, and I have Benisser and New Millenium, both hardy.

Hywel has promised me a Delta's Sarah in the spring, so I'm looking forward to that.

I enjoyed looking at your pictures - some lovely ones there.

You also have an impressive amount of Fuchsias, Steragram!

It's good Hywel has promised you a cutting of his Sarah's Delta. :-)) I like it very much & two survived the last winter. I hope they make it through this winter as well. I shall try wrapping them in bubble wrap & keeping them pretty dry.

I'm glad you enjoyed looking at my photos as I enjoyed looking at yours as well!

I posted a pic of the'Lena' you sent me,Sue..in flower..I don't know whether you saw it or not...and she is still doing well,with more buds and flowers..I brought it inside last night,as we had a severe frost..once bitten,as they say:o)

No, I must have missed it. Mine are in the ground but they survived last winter OK. She gets very big if you give her enough room but a pot will probably keep her within bounds. The ones I had in a tub got frosted last night. I brought them in today and hope they will survive - one was Southgate which is certainly not hardy! One was Garden news, and that should be OK. Anyway, lets hope for the best!

Good luck with keeping them then Balcony. The technique you used last year seems to have worked well. Keeping them dry is a good idea as it is frozen roots that finishes them off. I have brought my potted ones into the conservatory but am a bit concerned it might be a bit too warm for them,. Its new one and much better insulated than its predecessor, so they might keep growing - I don't know if this is OK or if they need a rest. But I have kept cuttings growing through the winter before and they have been OK.

There's no problem about keeping them growing over the winter - if you have the space, which I don't :-(( Unless your conservatory is as warm as your living room, normally around 20-24C, they will grow slower & may not continue to flower. That is as good as a rest. What you don't want to do is to encourage a plant in flower to continue flowering all winter & expect it to keep up its performance during the following summer as well! I expect you already know that!

I've kept Fuchsias for very many years. I still have photos on my computer of my standard Fuchsias Balcony from as far back as 2003!

I know of an ancient standard Fuchsia that is brought out of its overwintering place every summer & still continues to flower every summer. I've seen it for many years now. It's trunk is thick & gnarled & grey with age. Mine were nothing like that even after about 8 years on my balcony.

I am torn between keeping the conservatory warm enough to sit in and keeping it cool enough for overwintering. Tough choices! I also use the space for my tai chi practice so I don't want it to be too chilly!

If you can regulate the temp & time it starts up the heating maybe you can set it for 30mins before you want to start you tai chi practice & turn it off afterwards - called "having your pie & eating it!" LOL!

Well I could turn the radiator on in good time, but that involves advance planning! I think it would be easier to remember to do the practice in the day time when its warm because of the sun! (even when its a rainy day)

That's probably the best idea then!

Nevertheless the fuchsias I brought inside are starting to flower again!

So are mine,Sue..'Lena' has no signs of going to sleep yet! :o)

My Lenas are all outside and have given up - we had a frost a few days ago. The only flowers i have left are some lovely apricot roses.

I only have my'Empress of Prussia'ones outside now,Sue..not in pots..but still flowering ok..just given them a good mulch,and they have survived these past two winters..nice you still have some Roses..I only have a few insipid looking buds on mine...

Didn't know that one - it looks rather like Beacon.

I will have to take a look at 'Beacon' Sue..I am not familiar with it..although I seem to remember it being mentioned before..did you post a pic of it,or maybe it was someone else ?

I have mentioned it, yes, but find I haven't take any photos so it must have been someone else. If you look on Google images the second one on the top row gets the colours most accurately. It is a fairly strong upright grower and very bright. it was my favourite for a couple of years (I am not faithful about my favourites and am on Annabel at the moment. It was Alice Hoffman before that.

I will have a look,Sue..thanks..so,you love and leave em,do you ? Lol.

I've posted several pictures of Fuchsia Beacon as I had three standards I made from this plant on my balcony for many years - until the last winter killed them all off. ;-((

I found them,Balcony..just been looking at your pics..:o).
It does look very similar to my'Empress of Prussia ',Sue..

I don't know Empress of Prussia, and its always hard to get an exact likeness on a photo isn't it. The thing about Beacon is there's almost a luminosity about the tubes - suppose that's where it gets its name. I guess it would make a good standard, as its nice and robust.

I don't know "Empress of Prussia" either. "Beacon" is a very strong growing Fuchsia & easily makes a 1m (3ft) stem in a year! Then you spend the next year concentrating on the head. They can live for many years, mine were at least 7-8 years old, but I've seen other Fuchsia standards many, many years older.

I grew mine on a 1m (3ft) stem so the heads projected out over the balcony railings, otherwise I wouldn't be able to have standards on our balcony! One year the cold winds in the spring burned all the new growth off on the windward side. I was very angry but it turned out for the best as the leeward side was turned around to face outwards & that was the best arrangement! I no longer had to worry about breaking off branches, new growth or flowers every time I tried to squeeze past them to get to another point on the balcony or the pots that sat in rings projecting out from the balcony!

That's a beautiful Fuchsia

The 'Lena' you sent me,is looking great,Sue,along with two cuttings..all planted out now..So glad I have this one again,thanks to you :o)

Excellent Sandra - wish you many happy years with her!

:o))