Hi Tilly - if you asked anyone on GOY who grows hardy fuchsias, they'd all say the same. Leave the top growth on until spring, as it gives the plant some protection over the winter. I don't cut mine back until I see the new shoots appearing at the base. Mine is 'Mrs Popple' if you want to google that.

if it's a Fuchsia magellicana, the new growth comes from the old stems, so I don't cut them back - just any dead bits, or to keep it in shape.

How annoying - people are often given incorrect advice at the garden centre, but really, now they've started putting it on labels! Perhaps they mean to cut back a bit mid season, between bursts of flowering, but most of us don't do that either. As Spritz says, leave it alone till next Spring.

i'm glad i asked before i did anything to it. Mine's a tom thumb fuschia. Thanks Spritz.

thanks bamboo.

At least I answered that right! :-))))))))

I made another booboo too, Spritz, yesterday - I answered a Cordyline question and suddenly decided halfway through that it was Phormium - Tugbrethil picked that one up, thank heavens...

I've had a Tom Thumb fuchsia in the ground for many years. It even grew a long root across the top of the soil from which several new babies grew! Like others I never touch it until I see the new shoots coming, even then I leave a few inches of dead stems to give support and some protection from late frosts/winds etc.
Another thing I do is put a mound of compost over the base of the plant to give extra protection from severe frost. I've even had some bedding fuchsias come back in following years but I may just be lucky being on the south coast.

I spotted that Bamboo, but was too polite to draw attention to it! :-)

Oh well. We all say daft things sometimes, don't we. ;-/ Actually, being in a mild area, my more sheltered hydrangeas do keep their leaves, now I come to think about it! No wonder I'm confused. :-(

thanks everyone for all your advice x

B....r being polite, Beattie - mistakes should be corrected, or the poor questioner gets incorrect information! Blimey, if you get to my age and still can't stand being wrong, you've not made much emotional progress in life, lol!