On 2009-10-28 11:51:43 +0000, said:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-10-28 00:26:44 +0000, said:
Spider wrote:
If you try a fuchsia next year, consider planting F. 'Mrs Popple'. It is a
hardy one with good crimson and purple flowers, and it is readily available
in summer.

I'm incredibly fussy about my fuchsias. I've only found one hardy one
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.

So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I like the 'wild' form much more than the fancy ones, but I agree
that it looks best in a wild garden or naturalised on stone hedges.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We have F. riccartonii (I think) dripping over the edge of a stone wall
bordering a lane. It looks wonderful and is always covered in flowers.
OTOH, we have a variegated leaf one with pink 'parasol' type flowers
(might be Sharpitor) which always looks a bit anaemic, somehow. I'd
love to rip it out but feel a bit heartless as it's struggled to
survive after being walked all over by a builder and is now a strong
and healthy bush! I think I'm becoming very picky about variegated
leaves - there are many I really dislike. We have a large pot of
Solanum rantonettii variegata which goes outside for the summer but I
just can't warm to it as I do the plain leaf version. This big one
must be about 7' tall and is going to Jersey to live because my son
fell in love with it and I'm secretly very pleased!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon