OK—so fuchsias can become an obsession. Their delicate, flamboyant, dancer-like flowers provide an attractive focal point in any garden, patio or conservatory. On the other hand, some fuchsias with attractive foliage colours offer an interesting alternative to more conventonal forms of ground cover. Although there are around 3,500 varieties to choose from — we have consciously decided to limit our selection to 120. These range from the hardy, which can remain outdoors throughout the year, to the tender and frost-shy.

For convenience, the collection has been arranged alphabetically. Please use the buttons on the right to view the ranges in full.Where available, photographs are shown of those varieties that have been propagated at Scawby, so that you can see the colouring, habit and relative size.

Whilst experts will tend to disagree over groupings, we have chosen to categorise these plants under four broad headings. Each has its own distinctive characteristics: trailing, bedding & patio and triphylla.

Trailing varieties can be used as centre pieces for colourful hanging baskets. As their name implies, they dangle seductively from hanging baskets or drape languidly over low walls.

The bedding and patio varieties tend to be much more structured in habit and work well as versatile architectural elements in garden schemes. Certain varieties can be trained as imposing standards which grow anything up to 60cm high.

The hardy varieties, as their name implies, are quite happy in many cold climates, but they are not entirely immune to the ravages of North Lincolnshire’s winter. Nevertheless, with a little care, they can be left in the ground throughout the year. In cases of extreme frost, a covering of garden fleece should provide adequate protection.

The photographs shown on this page give but a small indication of the diversity to be found within the species.

Triphylla hybrids are quite unlike other fuchsia varieties because their leaves are grouped in threes rather than twos, and they have characteristic long tubes. Their small corollas and petals give them a symmetrical four pointed star appearance (some have six points). All flower vigorously and will bloom in winter provided there is sufficient heat and light. Since triphyllas originated in a subtropical habitat, they are particularly frost-shy.