How do you find out about these events before they happen? It seems like I hear about most afterwards. Do you see it in the paper, or do you find out the upcoming event info online? - Paul

Hi Paul and all,

Good question! I saw it posted in the "Northwest Gardening News" newspaper (free at most local nurseries, but you can get a subscription too for home delivery). I think it was also posted in "Pacific Horticulture" magazine too under "events" and in a recent Seattle Times gardening section (Saturdays), again under "events".

I'll put the link to NW Gardening News below for anyone who isn't familiar with it. It has a nice section for upcoming gardening events. Next time I'll post before attending rather than after. Sorry about that. Hopefully others will do the same. I'm sure there are tons of sales and plant events that many of us are not aware of (especially "society" ones, or other smaller sales), so it would be good to distribute the information.

Here is a link that might be useful: NW Garden News

Here are a couple of my favorite upright hardy fuchsias, both made it through last winter and the late freeze-

Edith

David

Great pics! I love seeing them. Yours look great with the variegated grass foliage and the columbine foliage too.

I must admit, I'm a real sucker for the hardy fuchsias. I just can't get enough of them. There is one just down the street from me that is easily eight feet tall (thought full mostly of several years' accumulation of dead wood). Mine in the ground are small but making progress and the new ones I bought are a very good size--one even has upward facing blooms. I took a pic so I'll try to post it this week.

If you're curious, here are some not-great pics of my new ones. They have their cultivar labels of course, but I was in a rush this morning and didn't write them down. In any case, here they are. I really like how the one variety has blooms the point up, though I also like the nice dangling ones as well. Thanks, Grant.

Winter hardy fuchsias, new, August 2006

Upright blooms:

Great photos, Grant. Are these supposed to be hardy? Will you plant them in the ground or keep them in baskets? I think one of my fuchsias has white petals and purple corolla, but is not blooming now.

Thanks! Glad you like the pics. They're not the best as I just ran out and took them before heading in to work, but they give you the idea. They all have the proper labels which I'll keep with them.

They were all listed as winter hardy at the fuchsia sale, and not just as winter hardy but as not needing any additional winter protection in Seattle. We'll see! I'm planting them in the ground this weekend. Wish them luck, lol, updates to come I'm sure. They're so lovely and were a very reasonable price that it's worth it even if just for the rest of the summer, though I hope they last years.

Thanks for commenting.
Grant

I checked labels and my King's Ransom has white petals and purple corolla. So maybe it will look like one of yours. It has one flower bud on it, while Edith, same age, has lots of flowers.

Grant, if I'm not mistaken, your last photo is that of 'Rose Quartet' - the split sepals are pretty distinctive, as are the upward facing flowers. If so, that is definitely NOT hardy. I wouldn't risk planting that in the ground without considerable winter protection.

I too am a big fan of hardy fuchsias and grow a good number of them. But not all "hardy" fuchsias are of equal hardiness and some of them are not very hardy at all without winter protection. While it is often difficult to determine the parentage of many of the newer cultivars, the closer they are to the magellanica species, the hardier they will be. But experimentation and creating various microclimates may increase your results. Another rule of thumb is that the simpler and less double and heavily ruffled the flowers, the hardier the plant. My most robust plants are cultivars of magellanica: var. molinae, 'Ricartonni', 'Aurea', 'Gracillus' (syn. 'Versicolor') and 'Sharpitor Aurea'. Others I have had good success with are various thymifolia and procumbens forms.

I am still playing with a newer introduction, 'Neon Tricolor', which has amazingly colored, very tubular flowers. I lost last year's planting but hopefully only because it was planted late season and didn't have sufficient time to establish. But I suspect it may have some rather tender fulgens parentage, so we shall see. Got it in earlier this year, anyway :-) And I just recently acquired a new one, 'Dying Embers', which has sepals of a purple so intense and dark as to appear nearly black.

But if you play around with them long enough, fuchsias will surprise you. 'Firecracker', the variegated form of 'Gardenmeister', is also not considered a reliably winter hardy fuchsia, yet mine survived this past winter - even the February freeze - in an unprotected container, of all things. Go figure!

Keep us posted on your 'Kings Ransom'. I'm sure it will thrive.

Gardengal, the plant in pic #4 is not 'Rose Quartet' but is 'Walz Jubelteen'. It and the others were listed as hardy w/o protection in Seattle, though as I mentioned earlier, that's all variable depending on location, the particular weather, etc., Your comments reflect my experiences too that the closer to magellanica the hardier, since it's obviously the one seen the most as a winter survivor. I planted my first magellanica in Seattle over twenty years ago and continue to keep it going from garden to garden via cuttings, so it's definitely the mainstay of my hardy fuchsia "collection" such as it is. All of the originals that I can see have survived. That's why I have my suspicions about my newest plants (since they're a bit, um, flouncy), but it'll be a fun experiment to see if they survive. All of your new ones and old ones sound great. I've had my eye on that 'Firecracker' for awhile now. I'm glad yours survived so well, even in a container.

Happy gardening all,
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Walz Jubilteen pic link

I thought that was Rose Quartet too, it has "Spoons" Like Pussy Cat. The corola of the waltz series is more shaped like the corola of June bride, Just smaller. Ive been enjoying waltz gigolo this season. In the last couple seasons, we have purchsed more misslabled fushcias. Ones that must have had the tags jumbled some how. for instance, I got a Marie Eilene that was suposed to be Sophisticated lady. Another that was suposed to be Macchu pichu, still havent Id'd it. May be one of the shadow dancer series. I pay more attention to leaf color and size, stem, etc. That helps some, but even that is affected by how much light the plant gets, and so on. Any way, that does look like Rose Quartet. The ones in our collections look exactly like it.

Regardless of specific ID, it is an attractive fuchsia. I'd be a bit skeptical of the "hardy without protection" tag, however. 'Walz Jubeleen' is listed alternately as protect from frost or zones 9/10 hardy, depending on source, as are the rest of the Walz series.

You two know your fuchsia varieties! The pic on the link I sent certainly looks like mine as well, as did most of the pics I found online. We'll see how this one does. I'm skeptical of the no protection too as I've said. I'll let you know come spring because I can guarantee that's the level of protection they'll get: none. :)

Take care,
Grant

I googled the above varieties and the Rose Quartet photos do show spoons for the split corollas. I've never seen that before.

My King's Ransom opened and looks like your third photo. The other fuchsia I got, Maxima, is not as hardy but I planted it by a south-facing brick wall and concrete patio. One vendor told me if you plant a marginal fuchsia deeper it can survive better. Maxima has a corolla that is so dark as to be almost black, like Dying Embers, but the sepals stick up like wings, and the corolla is almost a cup shape.

Here is a link that might be useful: Maxima

Here is one I've been wanting but haven't found (locally), because of the cup-shaped corolla and upfacing flowers. Does anyone have it, who can tell how hardy it is for them?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1087756}}

HI Hemnancy, Ive been looking for Tamar too, and would love to know where I could get one. If you like that, you might also like Mini roos, and Willie Tammerus or Other Fellow I over wintered Maxima in a sheltered location. With mulch, not cut down. It did fine. My mom overwintered hers in a cold frame, in a pot, and it did fine too. As well, she was able to propagate it. Another couple in that color range that Ive enjoyed, and over wintered,(both in an insulated but not heated outdoor building with huge windows) were Double Otto and Lord Byron. The blooms on LB are sort of mid-small. The blooms of DO are big, but the thing that is cool about it is the buds, Round like Marinka , but huge, and deep deep smoky red. Its suposed to be our door hardy too. Did any one think the pix of Grants red and creamy white one was Celia Smedly? It doesnt look exacly like super sport, so that was my only other guess. Grant if you dont already have it, you would maybe like Garden news, it has sepals that lean to a sort of light pink, but big red corolas. any how, this is so fun. love the fuschias almost best.

Okay you fuchsia folks have guilted me in to running out and getting the names for my current batch of "hardy" fuchsias (I know....I know...it depnds). :)

Pic #1 (group photo)

Pic #2 ('Nicci's Findling')

Pic #3 ('USA')

Pic #4 ('Deutche Perla')

Pic #5 ('Walz Jubelteen')

'Garden News' sounds awesome. I'll go look online for some pics and then at some nurseries this weekend. :)

Take care,
Grant

zzepherdogg- I'll let you know if I find Thamar. I lost Double Otto in the ground, is Lord Byron more hardy? I really like Celia Smedley, I'll have to try to find it. Or Grant's Deutche perla. They look alot alike but maybe are not the same size?

Mini roos didn't google, could you mean this one? You have to scroll down for the photo.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roohes New Millenium

Its not that one, I will find it and let you know where you can see it. It has some different spellings. As for the The lord Byron vs double otto, Im not sure but some one else may know . Garden Gal? She would probably know. I got the Celia at Fesslers, which is my favorite place to get them. I hate to say it, but the last two I have had from Monniers have been miss-labled, so I dont know that Id get anything not in bloom there. They do have a huge selection and are really knowlegable. I think I saw Dutch Pearl at Max'n Hildys befor they closed, but didnt get one. I also wanted Carmel Blue, same story. At least I did get First love, and Mlibu mist. I watch for the ones I like in books and on the web, all winter, keep a list of what I want and what I have, then in summer the search begins. Whats your current favorite? (or top 3 :)

I found it at a couple places, spelled Minirose. They were Fuchsia Magic, Fabulous Fuchsias, and the Swedish Fuchsia Society. There are lots of sites you can google, but I have these and a few others with good pix bookmarked, and check them first. There are lots of other sites, These are just the first ones I pulled off my list. On the tag of mine, its spelled "Mini Roos" I think it might have to do origionaly with where they were devloped, but all mine are from here, so thats just a guess. again, Maybe Gardengal knows why this is.

Thanks, zzepherdogg. Minirose comes up on google. One photo is a charming bonsai, loaded with blooms. It is a German site. I've been seeing lots of interesting sites googling fuchsias. The French site maison-fuchsias.com was very interesting, lots of good photos and excellent garden photos too. On the link I posted there is even a photo of a red and white striped corolla, Satellite. I'll have to check out your sites too.

zzepherdogg, thank you for the compliment of attributing to me far greater knowledge of hardy fuchsias than I possess :-) Unfortunately, my experience with these great plants is limited to the ones I grow personally and to those I bring in to sell at the nursery and they tend to be the relatively more common forms and those that exhibit reliable hardiness in our climate.

It is interesting to see the hardiness values attributed to these plants by various fuchsia sites. I think we in the PNW enjoy a pretty benign climate rather well suited to growing a lot of hardy fuchsias but not all will make it with the same degree of vigor. Interestingly, both Double Otto and Lord Byron are listed by most sources as half hardy (whatever that means) but I know folks that have grown DO with ease.

My feeling is that if you admire the plant regardless of listed hardiness, grow it, but until you are sure of its establishment and reliablity, it may be prudent to provide winter protection. The loss will not break the bank and you could very well be rewarded with a tough, great performing addition to your garden.

I see 'Double Otto' persisting against walls in neighborhoods near salt water. With hundreds of kinds and variably cold winters various others I do not know the names of can be seen overwintering here and there, of course, but the only large-flowered one I know personally to last in the open garden for years is 'Mrs Popple':

"A splendid variety giving us some of the size of the greenhouse varieties with complete hardiness and abundant crimson and purple flowers of rounded outline" -- Thomas, PERENNIAL GARDEN PLANTS (Timber/Sagapress)

This one has been in my family for decades.

If a person were feeling cold hearted, they could propagate one to see if it can overwinter ouside. I dont like to do that type of thing tho.(why waste a good plant you could trade for one you dont have) More likely, I will get it, talk to as many folks as I can, depend pretty heavily on the Pac NW Fuschia hardy list, and realize that there is no true bar for winter weather in this area. It may be mild (sort of )for a few years, then Ice storms, then who knows. If its lived in my garden for at least 5 years, I think of it as hardy, which is also the rule the P.N.W.F.S. uses. As for Half Hardy, I have taken it to mean that they may or may not, (with mulch, in a micro climate) in a mild year, Make it. SO.....I do this, If I dont know for absolute sure, I bring them into my studio, which has big floor to ceiling windows on one end, and is insulated, but not heated. This mimics a dormancy, but does not let them freeze. The only ones I have lost, have been because of watering issues. Too much more often than too little. There is lots to learn, and I have learned valuable Things from all of you.

I admit I've scanned the posts quickly, so if someone has already mentioned this nursery..my apologies! I really like to shop for fuchsias at The Earthworks on the East Hill of Kent (technically, Covington). I planted 20 hanging baskets of fuchsias this year. Last year was my "upright" fuchsia binge. One thing I like about their on-line catalog is the H1, H2 & H3 hardiness rating on most of their fuchsias. Their selection is very broad and their rooted cuttings are very reasonably priced. It's a family-run business and the folks are friendly.

I had heard the name, but not the great information you gave here. Will have to find, and Bookmark that site, Thank you.

For anyone living near Victoria, B.C., a visit to the Pacific Horticultural Centre (a.k.a. Glendale Gardens) is worthy for its impressive collection of 'hardy' fuschias alone. They have dozens of healthy specimens in the ground. With the exception of the magellanicas most are only 2'-3' tall, but I assume many die right back to their roots each winter. It would be worth monitoring the progress of these plants over time for hardiness.

That sounds like lots of fun! Murchies on the way?