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Climbing Fuchsia 'Lady Boothby'

LucidLucid Posts: 385
in Plants

Hi everyone,

I bought a Lady Boothby climbing fuchsia recently. I'm trying to work out whether it is actually a vine type climber - which I've found it has been described as elsewhere - or whether it is simply a plant that grows very tall? I bought it to go on a trellis alongside a clematis, and am just trying to work out if it will eventually attach itself to the trellis, or whether I need to continuously tie it in?

Thanks for any help,

Lucid image

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Posts

  • Gardendesigner01Gardendesigner01 Posts: 4

    You'll  need to tie it in as it does not cling or attach itself.  It can grow up to 3m!

  • LucidLucid Posts: 385

    Thanks for the very fast reply Gardendesigner01. I wondered if that was the case. I'd read somewhere that it was supposed to be the first fuchsia vine, which I took as meaning it would climb itself, but all advice seemed to be pointing to tying it in. 

    Will it be successful to attempt to grow alongside a clematis? I've got a Dr Ruppel.

    Lucid image

  • yarrow2yarrow2 Posts: 782

    I planted a Lady Boothby as a tiny thing last autumn.  It is now just under 6 foot and I've had to lop bits off from the top.  Had to tie it in as it doesn't cling itself in any way.  I was pleasantly shocked at how it grew so quickly but it doesn't behave like a climber to me - just grows tall quickly.  It is only now producing buds and only one flower so far.  Very healthy foliage though.   No advice for you on 'alongside a clematis'.  I've deliberately placed it on its own tying in to an iron fence to see how it is going to look and how it behaves until next Spring.

  • LucidLucid Posts: 385

    Thanks yarrow2. A local garden centre had 5 litre pots of them for £13, so I thought it looked a bargain. Now I know it's a shrub, rather than a climber, I'm a little worried it might swamp the clematis.

    Lucid image

  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Gah! I knew i'd forgotten something! I meant to buy one of these in spring and completely forgot image

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,090

    It's perfect with a clematis as they both like their roots in the shade, so grow something low in front or cover the soil with slates or something to keep the sun off.

    it won't swamp because you cut it right down to the ground in the Spring just like any other fuchsia, there is no such thing as a climbing one, just a tall growing one.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • LucidLucid Posts: 385

    Thanks Lyn. I thought it would look good with the clematis so am glad I've put it in the right position.

    Lucid image

  • LucidLucid Posts: 385

    Hi everyone,

    I'm figuring it's about time to prune the Lady Boothby. I'm not really seeing any buds to prune above though (still just sticks), so should I wait until they appear, or just prune close to the ground anyway?

    Lucid image

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,090

    If it were mine I would say wait until it starts budding, but I think Verdun will come along and say 'off with its head now' image

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • UnknownUnknown

    Lyn - you mentioned no such thing as a climbing fuchsia - what about Pink Fizz ..... I was thinking of getting this image

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