October in the Garden
Misty mornings and autumn leaf colour are both a feature of Lakeside in October and November. Shrubby fuschias continue to provide an amazing display right through to the first air frost. Originally from South America Fuschias grow especially well with us, often making shrubs up to ten feet tall if not pruned. The most common variety is the bright red 'Riccartonii', often seen as hedging in western counties of Britain, but we also have a white variety, Fuchsia magellanica molinae, which is just as vigorous. A recent addition to our collection is Fuchsia 'Lady Bacon', with eye-catching white, red and purple flowers. Although our gardens are full of many types of birds, we cant manage to provide the fuschias with the hummingbirds that pollinate them in their native South America!
We are getting ready for our spring bulb and bedding planting now, but will also make time for taking hardwood cuttings, one of the easiest ways to increase your stock of shrubs and climbers. We use this method to propagate all varieties of shrubs, including of course Hardy Fuchsias.