Fuchsia fanatics Gordon Reynolds and Pat Rogers took their petal-packed plants to the BBC Gardeners’ World Show this week - boosted by a new national gold award for their service to one of Britain’s favourite flowers.
The dedicated couple, who lead the Black Country Fuchsia Society, have been given a special medal of achievement after years of showing at the highest level, organising shows and promoting the plant at events.
It comes from the British Fuchsia Society to mark the achievements and non-stop work of Gordon and Pat who have been named the R and R of the flower world - the Rolls-Royce of top growers.
Gordon, from Rushall, and Pat, who grows at her home in Great Wyrley, have dominated the shows for years with beautifully grown plants - with Gordon claiming that his partner is probably the best grower of fuchsias in the country.
“There is no doubt that many people see Pat as the best grower and know that if she turns up at a show she will win,” he says.
And Gordon confirms that if Pat does not go to the show it is odds-on that he will dominate the exhibition bench and clear up the prize certificates.
“We do work together and it is very rewarding for us to get the award at the same time because we have been helping each other for years,” says Gordon, who grows hundreds of plants in his Barns Lane garden.
They were working together this week to create a BFS display at the BBC Gardeners’ World event at the National Exhibition Centre.
“We grow the flowers for the show and although it is early we have some nice plants to help promote the society,” he said.
Last month I met them at the Malvern Spring Show where, for so early in the season, they put on a magnificent display which won them a silver gilt ward for the Black Country group.
“It is hard work doing these displays and, of course, there is a lot of travelling to a show that goes on four four or five days,” says Gordon. “But it is lovely to talk fuchsias with people.”
They work together closely on introducing new varieties with Gordon doing the intricate hybridising work and Pat trialling them in her greenhouses. Gordon says: “We enjoy that work and we have had some really nice introductions.”
Last year his latest was Ken Tudor, a stunning new plant with green-tipped flowers. “It is a really good show plant and is already much sought-after following some wins in competitions,” Gordon says.
Both Gordon and Pat love the fact that the fuchsia has become so popular - often as a result of the work they do at shows and exhibitions.
Gordon believes the best feed is the weakened version of Chempak Two which should be used all through the growing season.
At the moment Pat is running a campaign at ‘have fun with fuchsias’. This includes a fantastic range of bonsai fuchsias grown into all kinds of shapes and sizes.
Pat is to promote the new use of fuchsias at the City of Wolverhampton Show at West Park next month in a bid to get more people involved.
One Comment
would like to see a lot more on fuchsias and tips and tricks as i am trying to get a collection of them