Winter_Hardy_Fuchsias_in

2.Winter hardy fuchsias in Austria

During given lectures about our trials of hardy fuchsias I have told to suppose, that our tried Ned-H3's also can winter in the garden in certain areas from Austria and Switzerland. While the climate zones in these countries show temperature indications, which in the winter occur on our testing ground in Velp (till -21°C). This conclusion was also based on my conversation with Mrs. Elisabeth Schnedl out of Austria during the fuchsia exposition NT '90 in Ruurlo. She told me that in Vienna there is a member of the Austrian Fuchsia Society, where in the garden fuchsias withstood a temperature of -26°C. Well she gave to it that the plants then are sheltered by a snowcover. Lately I find out that the above-mentioned conclusion is n't a supposition.

One of the Swiss fuchsia friends wrote me a letter and added to it copies from articles out of Austria and Switzerland about winter hardy fuchsias. He reacted with it to my article 'Winterharde fuchsia's, beproeving en verzorging' [1], that is published in 'Fuchsiaantje', the Belgium fuchsia society magazine of 'De Vlaamse Fuchsiavrienden'.

The copie of the article 'Winterharte Fuchsien' in the Austrian magazine mentioned the results of a trial from 76 fuchsia hybrids, which are allready tested to a winterperiod during one or three years. According to the author Mrs. Schnedl, the givens are coming from lists, on which the experiences are noticed of a number members who winter fuchsias in the garden. Those lists are coming from 'outsiders' (so not from nurseries). After the winter of 1994 she received 48 lists; testing to the two following winters brought in 26 and 15 filled up lists.

The following Ned-H3 winter hardys are there grown out well after three winterperiods: 'Achievement', 'Chillerton Beauty', 'Corallina', 'Display', 'Dr. Foster', 'Garden News', 'Genii', 'Lady Thumb', 'Madame Cornelissen', 'Margaret','Rufus', 'Mrs. Popple','Phyllis', 'Rose of Castile', 'Rose of Castile Improved', 'Saturnus', 'Son of Thumb', 'Whiteknights Pearl'.

Fuchsias without Ned-H3 statue, that there also withstood three winterperiods good (but they are not tested in Velp) are: 'Celia Smedley', 'Königin der Frühe' and 'Nettala'.

Facts and conclusions

The author of that article has ascertained that in her own garden, the winter hardy fuchsias showed few flowers and she find out meanwhile that the winter hardys in the future must n't been placed in the shadow under a pergola with a sunscreen, but they must been planted in plenty of sun. And those experiences we have in our country too!

In the article the author places still a conclusion, of which I can endorse the statement fully. She writes:

'From many sites you hear always again that the hardiness of fuchsias is a 'brainweb of fools'. That doesn't tally at all. Naturally not all fuchsias are suitable, but when you collect besides of the many red-purple varieties as variation also some other colour combinations, it will give certain much joy to plant them. And who plant now his whole garden with fuchsias? When planted as a solitair or as a beddingplant, they are in their element, there they fill well up after the spring-flowering plants the empty places. And when yet once such a hardy fuchsia freezes to death. 30 shilling for a new plant must be worth the joy of less a flowering season. From fuchsias many people expect eternal live, however still also roses, clematis and many other perennial plants can freeze to death.'

Now, that is 'fuchsiawisdom', that fuchsialovers with critical statements about Ned-H3's also must lay themself to heart.

[1] 'Winterharde fuchsia's, beproeving en verzorging'- Gerrit van Veen - Fuchsiaantje nr.57 1998 pag 12 t/m 18

'Gelderse Fuchsia Info-site'- November 2008