Day 357: Not realizing that hardy fuchsias bloom on old wood as well as new, I gave Genii a radical trim in the spring, and for the longest time, I thought I'd killed the plant. Finally a few leaf buds began to emerge and by August, she had full foliage but no sign of a blossom. I'd pruned Dollar Princess at the same time, but she recovered nicely and was in bloom by July. In the interim, I had also added Army Nurse and Erecta to the garden, and they were in full, showy array, much to the delight of the hummingbirds. At last, late in the season, Genii opened up.
I first became aware of hardy fuchsias when a friend introduced me to Genii in her yard, framing in my mind an image of "hardy fuchsia" which endured until recently when I became aware of other larger-flowered varieties with blooms more like the annual fuchsia of hanging-basket fame. Some are less hardy than others, so I selected varieties which would endure temperatures down to 0° F. To date, Erecta has been the most prolific, lavishly covered with pale pink flowers all summer long. Genii, however, remains my favourite, and next year, I'll let her grow to her heart's content. I should have known you shouldn't try to confine a Genii.
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