Planting a Fuchsia Border
Planting a Fuchsia Border:
Recently we had a request from a member to suggest tall Fuchsias for a border planting with small Fuchsias to use as ground cover which would harmonise with the tall ones. The member lives in the Southern Highlands so hardy /easily grown varieties were needed.
Site: The space for the border needs to be 2 to 4 metres wide to allow for growth. Fuchsias like dappled shade in summer with more light in winter. Deciduous trees are good as they provide both. Tall trees such as eucalypts, which have a high canopy and allow the winter sun to penetrate under the tree as well as provide dappled shade in Summer, also work. Fuchsias grown in full shade will have problems flowering and may develop long and lanky growth. They like morning sun or very late afternoon sun. Fuchsias really dislike western sun, wind and frost.
Soil: Planting a border is easier than planting a hedge but the need for good soil preparation is vital. As with roses, the soil needs to be prepared several weeks before planting with enough time for the plants to establish before both the hot summer weather and the coldest part of the winter occur. Late winter for Spring planting or midsummer for early Autumn planting are best. You can dig deeply into the soil already there and improve it or, if you prefer, build up the bed 15cm (6”) to 25cm (10”) above the ground level with good soil mixed with cow and/or other manures, blood and bone and add lots of humus such as aged leaf and grass clippings, compost or stable manures
This step is important as it provides the plants with a good base with rich, free draining soil. Raised beds also allow you to dig a deep and wide hole for each plant. After preparing the soil, spread blood and bone or Organic Life over the soil then cover with good mulch. Moisten the soil and leave for some six weeks before planting.
Selecting Plants: Depending on your site and climate you may need to use very hardy frost or heat tolerant plants. You will also need to consider ultimate height after two or three year’s growth as well as ease of access to the border. If you have chosen to have a very wide border then a simple path using flagging or stepping stones will allow you to access the plants without breaking their brittle branches or compacting the soil. Position all the plants before planting. Smaller plants tend to settle in better than large plants. I usually use plants in 5” or 6” pots like those we sell at the Fair and Festival.
Spacing: Fuchsias need good air circulation so be generous when spacing the small plants. If the border is long and wide then plant in a triangle of three plants of the same cultivar to allow for a good block of colour. In a narrow border just use one plant of each cultivar but don’t be too het up about planting in straight lines. A slight zigzag effect will give each plant more space. Leave 60cm ( 2 feet) between plants to allow for growth. In the first year add small perennials such as brachycome, pinks, dianthus, cranesbills, lupins or annuals such as Lobelia, Alyssum, small begonias etc or even Bulbs such as Star Flowers, baby daffodils, Freesias, Muscari and Bluebells which can be left in the ground. In the front of the border choose trailers. Plant them at the widest space of the triangle or zigzag in about 30cm (12”) from the edge to allow for growth. Choose prolific flowerers like La Campanella, Micky Goult, Blue Lagoon rather than spectacular doubles which may have fewer flowers. If the bed has been built up the trailers will spill over the ‘hill’ at the edge of the border.
Care of the Border: With good soil preparation, the plants will make good growth during the first season. If you have planted in Autumn and your area gets very cold weather and/ or frost you will probably need to protect the baby plants. Cover the bed with good mulch. You can even place newspaper around the plants but not too close to the stem to allow plenty of moisture to penetrate. Tree sleeves can be placed over the plants to protect them. Just insert three sticks then place the tree sleeves over the sticks and the plant. If the plants are affected by frost/ cold do not cut back but leave them until the Spring when they will reshoot. I leave all my in ground plants alone until Spring when I tidy them up as new growth appears naturally. That is when you can dig gently around the plant to allow air into the soil, fertilize with a good balanced fertilizer and water well then cover with mulch. This should be all they will need for three to four months other than removing debris around the base and pinch pruning two or three times as they grow. You may want to foliar fertilize with a high potassium fertilizer such as Thrive Fruit and Flower or Better Bloom as flowers form.
In Summer (I do mine after Christmas) give the plants a trim back then dig lightly over the bed with a hoe, water then add more good organic fertilizer and renew the mulch for a good autumn show.
Janice Devine
Tall Varieties for Borders:
Ambassador: Machado
Single Upright Bush/ good in the garden.
Sepals: white flushed pink/
Corolla: bishop purple /Strong bush/ free flowering/ hardy heat & cold
Australia Fair: Rawlins
Double Upright
Tube & Sepals: bright red
Corolla: white shaded and veined carmine / tall & vigorous / hardy in heat/cold
Brutus: Lemoine 1897
Single Upright:
Tube & Sepals: crimson-cerise
Corolla: deep purple shading to carmine at the base/ vigorous / free flowering / hardy
Display: Smith 1881
Single Upright
Tube : pink Sepals: deep rose
Corolla: cerise pink/ bell shaped / free flowering/ reliable and vigorous
Harbour Bridge: Lockerbie 1971
Double Upright:
Tube & Sepals: pale rose tipped green
Corolla: lavender blue blotched pink /large flower/ tall & strong/ hardy
F: magellanica var. molinae (Species)
Single Upright bush
Tube & Sepals: white
Corolla: pale mauve/ very tall and hardy/ tiny flowers/ free flowering
Margaret Brown: Wood 1949 Single
Upright bush
Tube & Sepals: rosy pink
Corolla: light rose bengal/ small flowers but very free flowering/ very hardy and vigorous
Peppermint Stick: Garson 1951
Double Upright
Tube & Sepals: carmine
Corolla: centre royal purple outer splashed pink/ large Flower/ free flowering/ self branching and easy to grow/
White Knight’s Pearl: Wright 1980
Single Upright bush
Tube: white
Sepals: palest pink green tips
Corolla: clear pink with round petals/ free flowering/ very strong/ tall
Medium Varieties for Borders
Blue Lagoon: James Travis 1958
Double Upright bush
Tube & Sepals: bright rosy red/
Corolla: blue with deep purple cast / free flowering/ needs pinching/ early flowering
Delta’s Groom: Vreeke/vanWesteinde 1993
Single Upright
Tubes & Sepals: dark aubergine
Corolla: bright aubergine/ corolla: flared/ free flowering/ early
Graf Witte: Lemoine 1899
Single Upright
Tube & Sepals: carmine
Corolla; purple with cerise veins/ small to medium flowers/ free flowering/ hardy and vigorous/ spreading
Heidi Ann Smith 1969
Double Upright
Tube: crimson Sepals: dark crimson
Corolla: bright lilac purple veined cerise/ medium blooms/ vigorous
Lord Byron:Lemoine prior 1877
Single Upright:/
Tube & Sepals: rich scarlet
Corolla: very dark purple/ free flowering/ very hardy & vigorous
Pixie: Russell 1960
Single Upright
Tube & Sepals: carmine
Corolla: mauve purple veined carmine / small flower/ free flowering/vigorous/
Voodoo:Tiret 1952
Double Upright
Tube: short dark red Sepals: long & dark red
Corolla: dark purple-violet bushy/ vigorous/ tall/ free flowering/ hardy
White Pixie: Rawlins 1967
Single Upright Bush
Tube & Sepals: red
Corolla: white with red/pink veins/ small flower/ free flowering/vigorous
Plants for the front of the border:
Aunty Jinks: J.W.Wilson 1970
Single Trailer/ basket/ pendulous small blooms
Tube: pinkish red Sepals: white edged cerise
Corolla: purple with white shading / free flowering/ small flowers
La Campanella Blackwell1968 Single Trailer
Tube and Sepals: white/flushed pink under
Corolla: imperial purple veined cerise/ Small flowers/ very free flowering/ vigorous
Pink Fantasia:
Single Upright
Tube & Sepals: carmine
Corolla: bright violet splashed white/ small flower/ free flowering/ upturned and self branching/excellent plant
Prelude: Kennet & Ross 1958
Double Trailer
Tube: white Sepals: white upturned
Corolla: royal purple splashed white, pink & purple/ free flowering/ hardy/ vigorous
Roman Candle: Southall 1995 Single trailer
Tube & Sepals: pale pink
Corolla: lavender & pink / hardy /free flowering
Snowburner: Lockerbie 1975
Double lax upright
Tube & Sepals: bright red
Corolla: white with red veining huge blooms
Strawberry Fizz Stubbs 1971
Double Trailer:
Tube & Sepals: pale pink
Corolla: deep pink/ large bloom/ vigorous/ free flowering / hardy
Susan Young: Young 1975
Double Upright
Tube & Sepals: white flushed pink
Corolla: soft lilac / free & long flowering / hardy