Fuchsias in the Fall

The other day I was taken quite by surprise as I was walking through my shady path to see this charming little fuchsia in full bloom. I really don't remember planting it last spring when most of these plants went in, but it has made itself at home and is blooming profusely. I believe it is one of the newer introductions in this area, originally from South America, that is resistant to fuchsia gall mite and blooms in the late summer and fall.

I have always grown the fuchsias with the colorful, big double blooms until fuchsia gall mite became such a problem that it took all the joy out of growing the beautiful shrubs. Since I prefer plants that don't take much upkeep I have abandoned those high-maintenance varieties for their easy-going cousins like this one.