Hardy fuchsia?

I’ve grown many fuchsias over the years but two in particular appear to be bomb proof. They are Mrs Popple and Army Nurse. Both cope with a variety of conditions in my garden from north facing/no sunshine to a full blown, sunny all day location. The only problem that I see with a fuchsia is that for several months, you will be looking at ‘dead sticks’. No doubt someone else will come along with an alternative suggestion that may have longer interest.

 

I think a fuchsia would work and they do have a nice long flowering season. If you were happy with white flowers (which do show up well in shade), how about Hawkshead. Grows to about a metre tall and maybe 50 cms all round. Seems very tolerant of drought and shade.

The only thing to watch for would be the fuchsia gall mite, which can disfigure the leaves and destroy the buds.

 

Delta’s Sara is another good hardy fuchsia with white and purple flowers which would lighten that area.

 

That would be an arching option, whereas Hawkshead is an upright one, so it depends how far into the space FC can let it grow without it getting in the way.

 

Another vote for Delta's Sarah. I saw it in various gardens last year flowering incredibly late into autumn, and the flowers look more exotic than Mrs Popple and Hawkshead

 

They are both described by the RHS as upright and bushy @ViewAhead. The Delta’s Sara that I had could also easily be pruned to shape.

 

Also agree , had Mrs. Popple growing in a similar situation for many years, getting to 4ft high and spread and masses of flowers, but as said sticks for the other half of the year.
For something higher Lady Boothby also has lots of growth and flowers, easily up to 6ft+.

You could underplant with bulbs etc. so giving year round colour.

Two tallish alternatives for shade/ semi shade, Day Lilies and Hostas

 

I must have a word with my Delta Sarah as it definitely aspires to be an archer!

 

There's another bomb proof one. The flowers look like skinny pale pink ballerinas

I think this is mine magellicana alba . Happy neglected in dryish partial shade

 

We inherited a magellanica when we moved here. It grows on a west facing slope on the north side of the house so is in shade all wintern gets morning and afternoon light in spring and autumn and more or less full sun in summer. It withstands drought very well so would be good in a pot with decent compost.

One early spring I cut it back quite hard and fed it. It grew and flowered well that same year so you could do that too and hide the bare stems with winter bulbs or something easy like variegated ivy which could trail down the planter and give a bit of interest and movement.

 

I think any of the magellanica types would work.
I have a pale lilac-pink one Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae | maiden's blush fuchsia Shrubs/RHS, a variegated one with red and purple flowers and the pure white "Hawkshead".
Hawkshead seems less tough than the others, often cut down further than the others by winter frost, and the variegated one tends to throw up all green shoots, but molinae is tough as old boots even in a pot.
They need a prune in spring (back to where the new growth is coming, or further) and will need summer watering in a pot, but probably less than the hydrangea.