Is the fuchsia a hardy one, or a summer bedding one, and are you looking just for summer bedding, or more permanent planting? If the fuchsia is hardy, which one is it - some of them get 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide. And in sun or shade, and what part of the UK?

First hello and wellcome W99lley yes same as Bamboo we need to know if hardy sun or shady and part of uk.

geraniums cant go wrong,
sweet Williams ( these self seed so let die back.)
busy lizzy ( self seed)
petunia,s
lobeilia
alysium

you could have little cherry tomato plants and reap the benefit.

Thanks for your responses. The fushia is hardy, unfortunately im not sure the exact type it is. The pot is in a slightly shady area. Im in Bristol. I would ideally like the other plants to be hardy. Im very new to gardening so my knowledge on it is minimal but im keen to learn!

Even a hardy fuchsia my have trouble in a barrel in a winter like the past two. Plant it with the crown three or four inches lower that its present soil level in the pot, and protect the barrel before hard frosts - the danger is the roots freezing. Some are much hardier than others and as Bamboo says they vary in height as well as hardiness. You could put some summer bedding round it for now, and then some bulbs for spring. When you see how big it gets, what its flower colours are and what sort of shape it grows in it will be easier to decide which perennials to use next year.