A bright, colorful addition to coastal gardens ... where they thrive in our cool, foggy summers.  These plants need a lot of water and partial shade; and like a rich, porous soil that is water retentive.  Frequent overhead watering is beneficial .. to keep the plants clean and relatively pest-free.  Fuchsias can be grown in hanging baskets, or planted in the ground as shrubs or small trees, or trained as an espalier.  Feed frequently; prune and pinch to shape.  Growth from the previous summer should be pruned back in early spring, leaving only a couple of healthy buds for new growth.  Although lacking fragrance, these brightly colored blooms invite frequent visits from hummingbirds.  This fuchsia was started from a cutting taken from my Mother's garden.  It is a survivor of the "year of the snow," which froze many of my other fuchsias.

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