It’s July, summer is in full flow and many plants should be in full flow too. However, there is one group which is worthy of special attention – the fuchsia.

The main point of interest is their flexibility. There are fuchsias for most situations. All are renowned for their long flowering throughout the summer and into autumn. They are equally at home in sun or shade, in fact they probably prefer cooler situations.

The mere mention of fuchsias brings to mind long trailing flowers from hanging baskets and window boxes. There are many varieties and colours to choose from and they are equally good as part of a mixed basket or on their own. Favourites include Swingtime (red/white), Lena (purple/white), Pink Marshmallow, Pink Ballet Girl, Harry Gray (white), etc.

Upright or bush varieties are ideal as centre pieces in hanging baskets, pots or as pots of their own. Favourites include Spion Kop (red/white), Winston Churchill (purple/red), Heidi Ann (lavender/red), Nancy Lou (pink/white), etc. The above are not winter hardy and need bringing undercover for protection in order to save them for next year.

Many of these have exotic large double flowers which can really look spectacular.

If on the other hand you want something which can be planted out and left in place throughout the year, then fuchsias can provide a solution here too.

Many such as Alice Hoffman (red/white), Mrs Popple (purple/red), Snowcap (red/white), Dollar Princess (purple/red) are compact varieties ideal for borders to provide a summer flowering shrub. There are exceptions such as Garden News (pink/white) with large double flowers and Genii (golden foliage, purple/red flowers). Also if you need a larger bush or even a hedge then there is Riccartonii (purple/red) or Hawkshead (white) with long thin trumpet flowers.

There is even a unique climbing variety Lady Boothby (red/purple) which is fully hardy and provides an interesting alternative for walls and fences.

Over the summer months we will have a wide selection available in all forms, including dozens of baskets on show and young plants to buy, also bush varieties in different sizes and hardy varieties too. We also have young plants of the climbing variety mentioned above.

If the summer is disappointing like last year, then fuchsias do very well, where geraniums do not. So if you are looking for something different, do give these wonderful plants a try.