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I spent December and the first half of January in sun drenched Australia at the height of their summer with glorious weather throughout our stay - the 20°C we had to endure one day felt cold!! So you can imagine how I feel writing this, on the coldest day of the winter, still frosty at 10:00 a.m. and an eerie northerly howling, straight from the arctic it seems!!  Still, I am all for counting my blessings, so rather than bemoaning my lot today I focus on the plus points. Let's face it, there's only less than a ¼ inch snow down, in Aberdeen the snow is several inches deep, in Canada……. It is only a couple of degrees below freezing here, in Aviemore it's -8°C , in Siberia………. It could be grey skies with dark threatening clouds, however, I can see a glorious blue sky and as it  is my day off, I've been able to photograph a fantastic orangy-red sunrise. We have central heating, hot water, good cooking facilities, ample winter clothes, things that so many in the world struggle without. We should be ashamed to moan so much.
Secondly someone I spoke to this morning is fretting. Have you heard the forecast, we might get 2" snow today, it might freeze 5°C tonight, the shop might have sold out of papers by the time I get there……  Well, yes, a lot might happen - or might not!  Naturally you have to be realistic, be prepared, adapt sensibly, but why spent so much time, time that you can put to good use, on worrying about things that might never happen!!
Yes, counting our blessings and focussing on the good in everything in situations we find ourselves in and the people we encounter, would make us more content and the world a better place.
This is the spirit with which I make my contributions to the Society. 2004 is the Society's 20th Anniversary Year, so a time when we will naturally look back, reminiscent and reflect.  However, most of all it ought to be a time when we make good use of the experiences gained and focus on the future to ensure the next 20 years are going to be equally successful! (At least - as we should always strive to improve!) If we all endeavour to work together towards this aim, with the fuchsia world's saying 'fuchsia folk are friendly folk' in mind, and with a truly positive attitude, we will no doubt have a great time together during this year of celebrations and the Society will have a very bright future!  Remember, it's your Society, it's all up to you!!
P.S. As a 'winter hardy' continental, as you might have gathered, the shenanigans about a bit of snow in January which fill umpteen newspaper pages really amuse me (and half of Europe) - come on folks, what do you expect it is winter!! Besides, the days are getting longer already, fuchsias are sprouting, snowdrops flowering……….. it will soon be spring & summer!

he emphasised that there was not a single method of growing fuchsias but a number of principles which when adopted by the individual produced good plants. However the establishing of the necessary conditions wasn't always that easy. Ken also supported Claudy Dixon's idea about trying to establish a Society stock of fuchsias associated with Scarborough, these would include Scarborough Seasprite, Society, and Rock which were hybridised by Bob Poyner of Scalby when he was President of the Society. The cultivars Max Jaffa, Alan Ayckbourn, Ron & Maureen Ward could also be included in a new 'Scarborough' class in the annual show as could the new cultivars of David Edmond, and perhaps you know of others to include.

Following that talk I proceeded to prepare the greenhouse for winter with the bubblewrap insulation but heeded Ken's advice and left the top uncovered. I have found in previous years that my plants get leggy in the early spring due to an imbalance of heat and light so my strategy for this year has changed to give them more light. In the past my main problem overwintering has been with lack of water for the plants, Mike Oxtoby would always say to use a teaspoon when you think they need a spoonful of water - the skill of getting the correct balance takes years to acquire. Too little they dry out and die, too much and they rot.

I find the winter a good time to catch up on my reading. I have a few books of my own about fuchsias, which always benefit from re-reading. The society has a comprehensive selection of books and pamphlets available as well as some videos. Choosing which cultivars to grow has always proved to be a difficult decision. I have always tried to put an order in to the nursery but I can flip from being totally indecisive to ordering far too many plants. I have developed my own technique over the years. In considering which choice to make I have gathered information from a number of sources. Some ideas come from books, some from the winning plants in the autumn bulletin of the BFS (available on the bookstall if you are not a member of the BFS - but worth joining) some recommendations from our speakers but most from seeing plants at shows. The size of the flowers and of the plant can then be matched up with the classes in the annual show. Most of us like to propagate our own cuttings and some thought to the timing of taking cuttings is important. If you want to grow a decent sized standard there are whips available from the nurseryman - some varieties are better and easier to grow than others so get some advice about them.
You will by now have received your programme which has some excellent talks & activities for 2004. The time to start growing will vary with each individuals circumstances. The problem is the frost. I have tried to keep a record of the last frost which can be as late as the second week in May. If you are to get any plants before this date some form of frost protection will be necessary. Mind you with the new fleeces available all you have to do is be prepared and listen to the weather forecast. I have arranged to collect my plants on the visit to Oxtoby's Nursery which is the beginning of April as this has proved to be a good time for both the light and temperature in my own greenhouse. The format of our first meeting of the year was well received and I am sure that we all benefited from the "craik" David Edmonds slides were something to aspire to, I realise that not all of us have the skills, time or dedication that he has shown over a number of years. However it is good for me when I tell my non-fuchsia friends that we have one of the top six exhibitors in the country and a budding hybridist as chairman of our society.

I have completed my year as secretary as promised. I realise that I do not have the administrative skills for this position and have been bailed out by Claudy Dixon who has all the talent needed for this post as well as the contacts in the fuchsia world which she has established over the years with her editorship of the newsletter. I hope we can persuade her to stand.  I will return to being an ordinary member and join you all in enjoying another fuchsia growing year, let's hope it isn't quite as hot as it was last year!

P.S. May I remind you that is the Officers (other than President and Vice-President who are elected for 3 years) are elected annually at the AGM on nominations from proposer & seconder at the meeting.  Treasurer Colin Bramley  is prepared to stand again but the Society is seeking nominations for the secretarial posts. If you are interested and require further information please contact Claudy or myself for an informal chat, we will be pleased to assist.

Having suffered sub zero temperatures and snow over the past week, here are a few reminders of things you should have done, and still can do, to prevent the frost damaging your plants and garden. Remember, the most severe frosts often don't occur until well into spring.

• Check that the protection applied to the crowns of  hardy fuchsias (and tender shrubs) is still in place. It might have been dislodged by the strong easterlies we have experienced lately, exposing the already present new growth.
  
• Wrap bubble polythene or sacking round your patio pots to prevent the compost inside from freezing or consider moving pots to a sheltered spot.
  
• Firm soil round trees, roses and shrubs which has been lifted by recent frosts.
  
• Check that plant supports, stakes and ties are holding securely.
  
• Remember to knock snow from the branches of conifers, evergreens and shrubs to prevent them breaking or distorting under its weight.
  
• Tie wire round tall conifers and yews to strap in branches and prevent snow pulling them down.
  
• Line the inside of  greenhouse with bubble polythene, but ventilate when fine.
  
• Make sure the conditions under which fruit, vegetables and bulbs are being stored for the winter remain totally free from frost.
  
• Put fresh water out for garden birds every day and keep up the supply of food.
  
• Turn off mains water supply to garden taps & lag with sack or bubble wrap.
  
• Make sure all pumps and filters have been removed from ponds, washed and cleaned for winter storage, as they can be damaged if they become frozen.
  
• Cover cold frames with sheets of old carpet or sacking to insulate them.
  
• Move houseplants off windowsills at night so they are not trapped behind curtains where temperatures can drop to freezing level.
  
• Cover an area round winter crops like parsnips and leeks so that the ground doesn't freeze, and harvesting can continue.
  
• Bend the top leaves over the curds of winter cauliflowers to give them some protection else they might turn brown.
  
• Avoid walking on frosty lawns as this can damage the turf.
  
• Complete winter digging so that future frosts will help break down the soil.
  
• Clear a hole in the ice of garden ponds each day to ensure gases don't build up to harm fish. One technique is to place a pan with very hot water on the surface of the pond to melt a large hole. Alternatively, install a floating pond heater. Never break ice with a hammer - the shock waves can harm the fish. If you have a pond with concrete sides, the freezing water can sometimes cause the concrete to crack. One solution is to place a large, plastic football in the pond. As the water freezes, the ball takes the strain rather than the concrete.
  

gained the BFS Enamelled Medal for Best in Show with his Margaret Lowis in the 3½" pot class, the BFS Salver for most 1st prizes, the Northern Championship Philip Taggart Memorial Trophy (phew, runs really easy off the tongue!) for most first prizes in classes 6,7,10,11,26 & 29 and the Basket Trophy Presented by K Pilkington & J Porter for best exhibit in classes 27,28 & 29. Much like last year then and an excellent start to the show season for David.
David followed this up by winning 4 second and 2 third prizes at the BFS Border Show in Hexham on 24 August, when he found J Gordon the Border Raider specialist-par-excellence in devastating form. David, like many of us, had his plants flowering much earlier than usually this year, hence he did not have his usual allocation for the Northern Show, as they had been in peak condition, and were much admired, at our own Show a fortnight earlier.
Our other representative at the Border Show was Norman McMullen who notched up 2 first, 2 second and 2 third prizes. An excellent return and, as always, his Adindas were truly outstanding.
Norman then rounded off the season with a superb haul at the BFS Harrogate Autumn Show in mid September. He attained 3 first, 3 second and a third prize, gaining the BFS Silver Salver for most 1st prizes in the show, the Cliff Gadsby Memorial Trophy for best triphylla in show and the BFS Silver Medal for runner-up to best in show. Pat McMullen also participated and gained a first and second prize. Between them the McMullen won all the triphylla classes with excellent Adindas, they really got it off to a fine art growing this cultivar!!
David, had a difficult year with the ill-health of his mother but still managed 2 first and 2 second prizes and in the process gained the West Yorkshire Trophy. He also had the satisfaction of winning again with his own seedling.
Peter Bendall gained a third prize in the Bonsai class and a first for the 'artistic display' for which he received the Society Challenge Shield. This class covers an area of 3ft x 3ft and Peter staged a fine display of bonsai fuchsias.
Truly excellent performances from Norman & David and well done also to Pat McMullen & Peter Bendall for participating in the Harrogate Show. 
I am sure everyone at the Society joins me in wishing our great ambassadors another very successful year. Yes, well done and keep up the good work!

P.S. If anyone is interested in following in David & Norman's footsteps and fancy having a go, have a word with them or myself at the break at our monthly meetings and we will only be too pleased to advise you about how to obtain the show schedules etc.

Amongst this year's new releases our 'local' specialist fuchsia nurseries, Mike Oxtoby and Kathleen Muncaster, look like having some real gems amongst them.  Some, a welcome addition to the hardy ranks, others potential show stoppers or long flowering patio pleasers. Try some out!!

OXTOBY'S NURSERY
"We would like to thank our very good friends for allowing us to release these exciting new cultivars for you to try and enjoy."
Gina (Chambers)  A nice compact habit on this plant with the flowers held outward to nearly upward clear of the nice clean foliage. The tube and sepals is a good clean red and the single corolla is a rich bright purple that seems to give the flower a rather special glow. We think this plant will be appearing on the show bench fairly regularly as it appears fairly easy to shape with a self branching habit.
Rise and Shine (Edmond)  This second release from David Edmond of Filey is a strong growing plant that flowers the whole of the summer and proved outstanding on test here at Cave. The broad sepals are a strong pink with a green tip which are held well back. The single corolla is white with a pink vein . Has already had success on the show bench but should also be a very good patio plant.

Howard Hebden (Bielby /Oxtoby )  The creamy white tube, slightly blushed sepals which curl back to show a single corolla that opens a light mauve and ages to a rich ruby red . Heavy flowering with flowers that last a long time adds to this plant. Growth is strong and upright and inclined to be a little chunky after the first stop. With a lot of good colour to offer and a good habit this plant should soon be very popular both as a patio plant and also, with its ease of growth, on the show bench.

KATHLEEN MUNCASTER FUCHSIAS
Introduced in their catalogue with "Our thanks to the hybridisers for the privilege of introducing this sparkling variety of new flowers on good plants".
Anna Louise (Wilkinson) Small semi erect single. Very compact and bushy. Like all Mal's plants will make a good plant for showing but also flowers for a long time.
Bright Lights (Chatters) Has done well on the showbench. We think will suit the beginner or novice because it grows and shapes easily.
Howard Hebden (Bielby/Oxtoby) Chunky plant and flower. Branches well when pinched and like all Len's cultivars flowers for a long time.
John Green (Wilkinson) Compact and bushy addition to the hardy fuchsias. A lot of people have commented favourably on this one. Grows to about 1ft. Named after a great friend of Mal.
Kim Nicholls (Nicholls) Very bushy and floriferous. Makes a nice showplant grown in the more open style. Attractive flowers and leaves.
I also really liked the other new introduction:
Ellie Hybridised June 2003. A dab hand at pruning fuchsias if she finds them on the floor. Certainly a fast grower though should end up fairly compact even if I do wonder if her name is short for elephant By the time visitors start coming should have got over the chew everything in sight phase.

1. At night they come without being fetched and by day they are lost without being stolen.
   
2. I never was, am always to be, no one ever saw me, nor ever will.
   
3. Runs over fields and woods all day, under the bed at night sits not alone, with long tongue hanging out, awaiting for a bone.
   
4. The beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end and the end of every place.
   
5. There was a green house. Inside the green house was a white house. Inside the white house was a red house. Inside the red house were lots of babies.
   

Various popular garden chemicals are now banned.  Yes, it is now illegal to use a host of our favourite insecticides/fungicides and you have only until 31 March to dispose of them.
It seems the inconvenience is brought upon us because manufacturers have to comply with more EU red tape and they are not prepared to bear the cost. So, rather than complying with the directory and adjusting products and especially labelling, products are now simply being withdrawn. This also includes many supermarket chain own brands.  Banned substances include dichlorprop (weedkillers) and triforine (fungicides), though to add to the confusion for the gardeners some of the banned products have been  replaced with products of the same name, but with different active ingredients, and that can be dichlorprop-p. Not surprisingly the home gardener gets confused!!! 
The list which appeared in many  gardening magazine and can be viewed on     the internet is pretty long, however many of these products have not been on sale for a few years now anyway. Some manufacturers have also taken the opportunity to withdraw some products that were approved for use, simply because poor sales figures meant they weren't the hoped for money-spinners! When disposing of these garden chemicals do so in a responsible manner.  Remember that it is illegal (and dangerous!) to throw them in your dustbin or pour it down the drain or toilet. You will have to contact your Council's Waste Disposal Authority who will be able to tell you the nearest safe disposal location.
Overall the directive instructs us to read the labels more carefully and only use the garden chemicals for their intended use.  Yes, you are in fact legally obliged to follow the instructions, but it is for our own safety.  Look out for that when a product states it is only for use on ornamental plants you do not use it on your edible fruit and vegetable crops.  Neither should you mix chemicals. This is all sensible really but I am not so sure about the bit that states that we are also banned from using products for gardening which are not licensed for that purpose, i.e. we shouldn't add a few drops of washing-up liquid  to our sprays, a practise widely used as it makes the spray clings to the leaves rather than running off instantly and so be more effective. Nor can we use Stergene to make a soapy spray to rid ourselves of whitefly or greenfly or make up our own spray from boiled-up rhubarb leaves (did anyone actually do this and did it work?).  However in all of this we shouldn't lose sight of the main objective of the exercise which is safety.
Maybe a good time for us to evaluate our use of gardens chemicals. It has always been controversial, as the 'grow organic lobby' have a very valid point claiming that the use of chemical changes the balance of nature. And make no mistake this also applies to 'very occasional use'. As Carol Klein wrote in Garden News the other day: "Half measures are half-baked. It has to be all or nothing. Using chemicals in isolated situations just isn't organic. It changes the balance and destroys it. You cannot be a bit organic." Looks like we have to resort in earnest to only growing the quantity of plants we can comfortably look after. That means, picking them up, handling them, examining them regularly and squashing pests as they appear. Not giving them the chance to breed and become a major outbreak for which one might be tempted to resort to using chemicals. Now this does leave one major problem. We do not spray in our garden and I'm getting increasingly frustrated with capsid bug ruining the hardy fuchsias year after year. Does anyone know an organic solution for that??? 

Derek Luther (of the BFS CAD's Fuchsia News) has been delving into the sprays currently still available - here are the results of his research - all off the Internet from the relevant company's websites! See table on next page. Please read the labels carefully as many labels look the same but there are slight differences in use and what they control. Do not mix two products together unless the company advises. If you mix a product with water use as soon as possible and do not store it. One, the product deteriorates, and two, it is dangerous to store any chemicals that are not properly packaged and labelled. Several children have died because they thought weedkiller was lemonade.
PEST LIST (for column 7)
1. Whitefly 2. Blackfly 3. Greenfly 4. Thrips 5. Vine weevil  6. Red Spider Mite 7. Sciarid fly 8. Mealy Bug 9. Scale Insect 10.Woolly Aphid 11.Lily Beetle

12. Western Flower Thrips 13. Caterpillars 14. Cabbage Aphids 15. Ants
16. Other mites 17. Blackspot 18. Mildew 19. Rust 20. Powdery Mildew
21. Scab 22. Downy Mildew 23. Tomato Blight 24. Potato Blight 25. Leaf Spot

Although there are two products listed that should not normally be used on fuchsias during the growing season Derek has used them at the end of the year when rust raised it's ugly head. The product will distort the leaves and then they fall off, but that is what naturally happens at this time of the year either through the cause of rust or autumn. The new foliage grows back perfectly clean.

A young man was seen walking along a beach, stopping every now and then to toss an object into the sea. As the onlooker drew nearer, he asked the youth what he was doing.
"These starfish have been stranded on the beach by the tide, and I'm throwing them back into the sea so that they won't die."
"But" said the other, "there are hundreds of them and the beach goes on for miles, so what difference will your effort make?"

The body of every organisation is structured from four kind of bones.
There are the wishbones who spend their time wishing someone would do the work.
There are the jawbones who do a lot of talking but little else.
There are the knucklebones who criticise everything others try to do.
Luckily however, all organisation also have backbones, who carry the load and get things done!

While out on a trip with the W.I., in a stately garden I saw, a flower that grew in my garden at home (a fact with filled me with awe).
Just then an old gardener came into view, and I spoke before courage had fled.
"Please, what's the best time to take cuttings", I asked.
"When my back's turned I reckon", he said!

We would like to remind you that although we might talk a lot about growing for our Show, the Society shop window after all, we do very much welcome beginners and newcomers. It is the main aim of the Society to encourage further interest in fuchsias, and we are pleased to have you on board. Play your part and keep the committee on their toes, by letting us know what you expect from

us. We have already introduced extra evenings for beginners and other things on your wish list can be taken into consideration - but you have to inform us! And this applies for ALL members,  we would like as many of you as possible to have a good time with us at our monthly meetings and enjoy taking part in the ancillary activities. 

Do not be ashamed of not knowing, only be ashamed for not wanting to learn, the saying goes. Yes, whatever the problem may be, there is always someone who has a solution (or knows someone who knows someone who does!!). Ask away. Talk to your fellow members and committee members during the breaks or contact your Secretarial Team at any time.  And, remember, your editor also welcomes questions for the Questions & Queries section of the Newsletter!

STARTING THE  NEW SEASON
If you have a heated greenhouse, conservatory or overwintered your plants on an indoor window sill, the increased light levels of February means plants are re-awakening from their winter dormancy.  You can spray the woody structure with some tepid water to soften the wood and induce dormant buds into growth. If not already pruned back, do so once you can see the new growth breaking clearly. Fuchsias respond well to being cut back hard. It encourages strong growth able to support the blooms later in the year.  You can re-pot. Remove as much as possible of the old compost and replenish with fresh compost. Use the same pot or one slightly smaller. Keep a watchful eye out for vine weevil grubs and take care not to damage the newly developing white feeder roots. Do not overwater, it takes a while for new roots to develop and function fully. The roots of newly potted plants are at this time surrounded by a lot of compost and can be drowned if the compost is  not allowed to just about dry out between waterings.
We still have a lot of dull and damp weather, the ideal atmosphere for botrytis. The grey fuzzy mould thrives in close, humid & cool conditions and generally gets a foothold on damaged stalks or decaying foliage. Good Hygiene is most important. Check plants regularly and remove all dead and fallen leaves as soon as possible. Also yellowing leaves, as they are going to fall soon anyway. Water early in the day and avoid spillages. Above all ventilate freely.  Beware, botrytis can also creep up the stems of young cuttings. Sudden leaf fall will indicate this and you will see the remaining bare stem starting to discolour. Usually this is caused by damaging stems when taking cuttings or bruising when handling.
If you have no heat, the re-awakening can be delayed until around Easter time, when there should be enough natural warmth to start the process off.

• Please note that members are allowed, and in fact we would like to encourage you to do so, to bring friends, neighbours etc. to our monthly meetings - anyone interested in gardening or just wanting to share our company is  most welcome.
  
• And, we know the seats are a bit hard, but that also applied to other halls, so remember you can bring along cushions to remedy it somewhat.
  
• As well as the books to buy and books & videos to borrow from our Library,  all on display at the back of the hall - we also have the minutes of the committee meetings for your perusal.
  

A: Well, we do not have to grow our fuchsias in small pots. Indeed many fuchsia enthusiasts grow them in pretty big patio pots and some miracle men like i.e. John Porter, now President of the BFS, even grows them in collosal size pots - big dustbins! However, we would not be able to transport these 'monsters' easily to our shows, and neither would we manage to get many into the hall. So, to have variety, both in our own greenhouses and on the showbenches we grow them in manageable size pots. And, for the fun of it we go even as small as 2½" and some Society's had a go at growing them in small saucers. Skill and especially dedication is required to be successful, making sure plants are frequently checked to ensure they do not dry out in hot weather. The 3½" pot classes are popular and a good plant with 3 or 4 stops can be obtained in the first year of growth. If not grown for the showbench it is probably more mangeable to pot plants on into 5" pots rather than leaving it in 3½"pots.  However, especially at the beginning of the season do not place young plants in big pots as the roots will then be surrounded by a large volume of compost, which will, when watered retain far more moisture than the young roots can take up. The roots will get saturated and can rot away and the plant die.  Once pots are fully filled with roots the plants feel threatened and sense that they must flower (and produce seeds) to survive, so fuchsias and many other potplants do indeed respond to being potbound by flowering well. But yes, it is a fine dividing line between keeping plants well watered and fed to flourish & flower well and missing out  a watering and the plants drying out and flowers shrivelling up. Hence dedicated show people inspect and handle their plants as often as they can.

Q: Can anyone tell me what vine weevil eggs look like? Are they yellow? I know what the larvae look like, I've looked in lots of books and you only ever get pictures of the grubs.

A: Yes, obviously once the eggs have hatched out and are grubs going for the fuchsia roots they need to be found and dealt with. Some folks put them out for the birds, others are more ruthless and squash them well and truly with their boots. Good idea to be extra vigilant and look out for the eggs. They are not yellow, though slug eggs and some slow release fertiliser pellets are. Vine weevil eggs are transparent, see-through and they can be found in little clusters often near the edge of the pots. If troubled by this nuisance it will be beneficial to change to autumn repotting (removing the old exhausted compost and fibrous roots from the previous year's growth and then repotting in fresh compost) rather then leaving this until spring. Discarding all the old compost. Otherwise do occasionally take your plants out of their pots during the autumn and winter months and  inspect the rootball carefully.

Q: Why are we advised to grow Fuchsias in 'part-shade', when I have a glorious Mrs Popple in my front garden in full sun? The only problem I have is having to cut it back so people can walk past!
A: Good observation. Having just returned from Australia and experienced the intense heat of their summer (well actually it was rather lovely compared to December in England), I can now understand how fuchsias must feel in our greenhouses in mid summer. Lovely though the sun was, after a while you just had to seek out some shade & air conditioning and you also needed to drink copious amounts of water to avoid dehydration. Yes, the 'provide dappled shade,  ventilation freely and keep plants moist' that we advocate for our fuchsias! On Green Island on the Barier Reef, the sand and the boardwalk was so hot you could not bear to walk on it with bare feet! So growing fuchsias in full sun will frazzle them away out there and not surprisingly we only saw some growing in the Blue Mountains area and in Victoria (the gardening state), where the climate is definitely kinder for gardening. However, during our Yorkshire summers we seldom have to endure such intense heat. We do enjoy a prolonged hot spell every few years but even then the nights provide a welcome cool respite and the fuchsias usually soldier on bravely. In the open ground it would not present a problem. Many hardy beds are situated in bright sunny conditions and seem to flourish, though the colour of some varieties changes dramatically. Anabel i.e. looks very pink instead of the cool white it is in the shade. Annual borders will of course need careful watering. For pot work it is very different though, as direct sunlight will not only lead to rapid drying out, but with the thin plastic pots roots can burn, so it is asking for trouble. It is generally thought that fuchsias do not function properly at temperatures above around 21-25°C, as they will then be unable to take up enough moisture through the roots to combat the amounts lost in transpiration.  So, fuchsias can survive in sunny positions, but will really thrive in dappled shade.

A big thank you to Michelle for putting me on the spot! No, pleased you're joining in! Trust the answers are of some help to you and other members.
May I also remind you all again that we run this 'fuchsia question time' section especially to assist our less experienced members.  The simple task for you is, to pose the queries, and I, with the help of experienced growers from friendly fuchsia folk will come up with the answers for you! (I didn't just save it for the Newsletter and keeping Michelle in suspense for months, I telephoned her on receipt of the letter). It is a good deal, so have a go, just jot your questions down and pass it  to me at one of our monthly meetings.

Michelle also mentioned that she was impressed with the stunning displays of triphyllas in tubs all around town and wonders what happens to the plants at the end of the summer. Do they throw them away? Could they give them to the Society?  Now there is a good thought,  maybe we should contact the Council to see if they can assist us with our display at Normanby Hall next year!!

Other queries recently raised:

Can you remind us about the discount schemes?
Yes, 10% discount for purchase over £10 can be obtained at R Yates & Sons at Malton and Pickering. The main Garden Centre - The Steam and Moorland Garden Centre is situated on Malton Road at Pickering, next door to Rogers Nurseries. "To support the Scarborough & District Fuchsia Society we are pleased to be able to offer your members a 10% discount on all purchases over £10.00. We are very pleased to be able to extend this 10% discount to cover our Malton Garden Centre as well. Simply ask your members to show their Membership card, when they make a purchase to qualify for this discount."

Likewise a discount of 10% can be obtained from Dean's Garden Centre, Mere Valley, Scarborough, again on  production of your membeship card.

Does my friend have to pay membership if she only wants to come for the next meeting to see what it is all about?
No, your friend, and indeed everybody's friends, neighbours etc., in fact any one interested in gardening and fuchsia growing, is most welcome to come and join us for our next meeting and a few more if that's what it takes.  The more the merrier! It doesn't cost the Society any more if an extra half a dozen people are attending, they might even make a contribution by buying raffle tickets and  cetainly having a few more seats filled in the hall will make it all the more worthwhile for our speakers. So yes, please bring your friend along, and may I also take this opportunity to remind all members that they are most welcome to invite people to our meetings, if you think a particular meeting would interest them.  That is after all why we are publicising our meetings in the press as the main objectives of the Society is to encourage interest in fuchsias.

Can I order plants in advance from Oxtoby's Fuchsia Nursery to ensure I get the varieties I want and then collect them on our Outing on 4 April?

Yes, you can. Mike assured me that "If people want to order in advance then we will try our best to have the plants they order."  So, worth a try, they'll be happy to oblige, but it is, of course, subject to availability - some cultivars might play up even for Mike & Jackie and not produce enough cuttings.

Filey scooped top honours in the national Britain in Bloom competition. The town won a Silver Gilt Medal and was named top in its section. This matched Scarborough's achievement in 2002. The accolade capped a brilliant 2003 for the Council's Park & Countryside Services. At the Great Yorkshire Show they won Best in Show, a large Gold Medal and the Doncaster Perpetual Gold Cup with the Borough in Bloom display. This was closely followed by a Gold Medal at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in the Britain in Bloom National Flower Bed Competition for their imaginative 'Fish and Ships' display.
Locals also had the chance to see another Borough in Bloom exhibition in the Foreshore marquee at the end of August when the 10 day event drew the crowds.  A truly magnificent display was put on by the Parks & Countryside Services and our Society was pleased to participate again by putting up a small display of our own. Featuring some lovely bonsai fuchsias the display put on behalf of the Society by Peter Long & Peter Bendall (again many thanks)  was much admired and  proved another good advert for the Society.
This was, with the fuchsia bed in the Crescent Gardens, part of our support for the Council in their efforts to create greater community involvement. In this respect another initiative also got off to a good start in 2003. The Scarborough Volunteers in Parks scheme is designed to involve local people in looking after parks and gardens in Scarborough and learning about horticulture. The group has been working on projects in Peasholm Park, Valley Bridge gardens and the Esplanade Rose gardens where events so far have included bulb planting, autumn tidy ups, tree planting and rustic fencing.  Further events are planned for 2004 - please contact Parks & Countryside Services on 374079 if you want to join the volunteers or require further information.

They do a fabulous job keeping such a fast range of cultivars in existence but can only do so if we support them wholeheartedly so they stay in business.  Mail-order is unfortunately no longer a viable option for most so we should endeavour to visit at the onset of the new season, to get some new plants, and the inspiring advice that comes along is sure to get the adrenaline going again.

«Oxtoby's Nursery

74 Westgate, North Cave, Brough, East Yorkshire. HU15 2NJ

)01430 - 423049   http://www.moxtoby.supanet.com
Our nearest specialist fuchsia nursery - catalogue available now. Well worth a visit as you can be assured of Mike & Jackie's personal attention and good advice to get you off to a flying start. Quite a number of fuchsias that don't appear in the catalogue are also available to callers. Their plants are a good size, having been moved on and hardened after rooting.
«A little further South - Kathleen Muncaster Fuchsias.

18 Field Lane, Morton, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. DN21 3BY

)01427 - 612329   www.kathleenmuncasterfuchsias.co.uk
Catalogue now available, no mail order, but personal attention at the husband and wife run establishment. Pencil them in for a spring visit for young cuttings and visit in late Summer to see their full range of hardy fuchsias in full flower. They have 300+ in their garden, a National Hardy Fuchsia Plant Collection
«Bellcross Nurseries -  show begonias as well as fuchsias.
Howden, Goole, East Yorkshire, DN14 7TQ    )01430 - 430284
«If travelling up North pay a visit to Arcadia Nurseries.

Brass Castle Lane, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, Cleveland. TS8 9EB
)01642 - 310782    www.arcadianurseries.co.uk

Though converted to a major garden centre during the last few years, they still give fuchsias a prime place.

«Conveniently just off the A1 - Clifton Fuchsia and Plant Centre.
Clifton, Morpeth, NE61 6DG   )01670 515024   
www.morpethnet.freeserve.co.uk/clifton-fuchsias

Graeme Ord and staff are on hand to give advice and again they offer a vast variety of cultivars to choose from.