Fuchsia 'Sir Matt Busby' (Fuchsia)

Sir Matt Busby is a trailing fuchsia named after the legendary Manchester United manager, and it carries the same flair you might expect from that association. The flowers are double, with a white to palest blush outer tube and sepals contrasting against a rich, deep pink to rosy-red flared corolla, the combination producing a two-toned effect that catches the eye in hanging baskets and window boxes. Trailing fuchsias have a naturally cascading habit, with stems that drape elegantly outward and downward as the season progresses.

Fuchsias are one of the great joys of gardening on the Oregon coast, where the cool, humid summers create the exact conditions they love. They bloom almost continuously from late spring through fall without the mid-summer exhaustion that plagues them in hot, dry inland climates. Hummingbirds visit the pendant flowers regularly, treating a well-grown hanging basket like a personal feeder. Position in bright but indirect light or morning sun with afternoon shade; hot afternoon sun bleaches the flowers and stresses the foliage.

Keep the soil consistently moist and feed every two weeks with a high-potassium fertilizer once flowering begins.