As you are not moving for 4 months, I would delay moving anything until nearer the time, late autumn, early winter when the plants are dormant being the best time to move them, I think you may have a problem with the camelia,s because they hate to be disturbed, and will have quite a big rootball, the fuchsia,s should not be such a big problem, depending on how long they have been in position, if you can, try and replant them in the ground as soon as possible, and keep them well watered until they get re-established. Derek.

I agree wait as late as possible and lift when dormant with large rootballs in to big pots as near to the moving date as possible. Dont forget to specifically exclude them from your house sale.

Thank you to you both for your help. We are moving to our son's bungalow so there should be no problems whether we move them in now or later. We thought if we moved them in advance to pots anything in pots are excluded. But maybe I am wrong.

No, you're not wrong Schaca - stuff in pots is yours to take because they're moveable - stuff in the ground isn't, but you are allowed to tell buyers that you'll be taking this, that and the other shrub with you before they sign on the dotted line.

As a safeguard, you could take some cuttings from the fuchsias. They are usually easy to strike, so if your large bushes resent the move, at least you'll have the young ones.
I know how you feel. I am also considering a move to a more manageable property but I really don't want to leave my garden!

As soon as I put my house on the market in June 2003 a very hot and dry year. I started potting up my plants, perennials, shrubs and small trees, including a couple of Camellias and most of my hardy fuchsias. I had an shady area where I stored and watered them. fortunately for me I didn't lose any of them. To be honest viewers would never know if there was 250 pots of varying sizes or 320. Incidentally I left a lot of plants in the garden, but my fav's came with me, All 367.

I agree with you 2ndhand I moved a lot from my garden when I came here in the October and took a lot of cuttings - but everything was in pots before the house was viewed. I remember it was a long summer of watering till we moved. As long as they are in pots before the sale is agreed or excluded from the sale its ok. But Schaca has 4 months before her move, so does not have to risk moving them yet. the longer she can leave them the better!