It’s an exciting week for a couple of reasons, I noticed that some of my hardy fuchsias, in pots in the garage, are still flowering. An obvious choice for my ‘In a Vase on Monday’. They made my day so are my #100happydays photo as well. I’m not sure which ones they are as they’re gifts from my Mum – one is relative of Tom Thumb. They really shouldn’t be flowering in December but it’s been very mild. The fuchsias that are planted out in the garden have all gone over now as it’s been very wet and windy.
‘Star Wars – Force Awakens’ opens in the UK on Thursday. If you’re a regular reader you might have noticed Yoda appears on my blog now and again. I’ve always loved Star Wars; I was 11 in 1977 when the first film opened – we saw it three or four times that year at the cinema. We played Star Wars games incessantly in the playground but there weren’t any Star Wars toys for the first Christmas – I think it was a year or so later, probably because the studio didn’t realise it would be so popular – George Lucas knew!
I won’t be watching ‘Star Wars – Force Awakens’ at the midnight showings – I’ll probably go next week with My Chap – he’s only seen one Star Wars film – and it’s the one with Jar Jar Binks – so he doesn’t quite see what the fuss is about. BLOG UPDATE – My Chap booked tickets to see ‘Force Awakens’ on the first Saturday evening. I was beyond excited!!! It was great… and My Chap loved it too. Need to watch it again as alot happens….

hardy fuchsias still flowering – 12 December 2015 #100happydays
I think fuchsias were the first flower I loved – I thought they looked like little ballerinas. My Mum has always had fuchsias in pots on her patio, even now she has 30 pots which she moves to her garage every Winter – they don’t grow well in her clay soil.

Hardy fuchsias still flowering 12 December 2015
My Mum has given us quite a few fuchsias over the years including this beauty – which came from Tatton Park Flower Show and is in our front garden among alot of different kinds of lavender. This is Star Wars – it will grow to about two or three foot high in the end. It flowered until late October 2015.

‘Star Wars’ fuchsia with lavender – October 2015
And these fuchsias were flowering in my back garden (left) and front garden (right) until late November 2015.

These hardy fuchsias were flowering into November 2015 – left one in back garden and one on right in the front garden
Yoda oversees our garden – here he is last Spring (2015).

Yoda in the Spring Copyright R Jones – 2015
The final reason I’m excited is – I’ve got a few more days at work and then I’ve got two weeks off over Christmas – Hurrah!
Do have a look at Rambling in the Garden where Cathy hosts ‘In a Vase in Monday’ she’s got flowers that shouldn’t be here either – in her case Snowdrops and she’s got some magic going on too – perhaps The Force is strong in her garden 😉
- #100happydays Photos 1-5 – dahlia, vinegar, acorns, mindfulness and Dunham Massey
- #100happydays Photos 6-13 Lovely Lisbon
- #100happydays – Photos 14-20 food, music, Victoria Baths
- #100happydays – Photos 21-28 friends, food, drink, flowers and yoda too
- #100happydays – Photos 29-34 deeds not words, inspiring women, love
- #100happydays – Photos 35-41 love, food, poetry, learning and travel
You can follow my photos for #100happydays challenge on twitter feed everyday (@becinmonton)
*****
#100happydays challenge is very simple:
- Can you be happy for 100 days in a row?
- Every day submit a picture of what made you happy!
- It can be about anything or anyone.
- It’s a way of getting in touch with the moment you’re in
- People can submit photos privately too.
Anyone around the world can get involved in #100happydays or just have a look for the hashtag or on facebook too.
What has made you happy today?
Carpe Diem
love Bec xx
Oh what wonderful fuchsias…very special indeed. Enjoy the movie and your 2 weeks off.
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Thank you donna – I’m really need a rest. I loved your marrows and pumpkins on your table. Very cheery colours. Wouldn’t let me comment on your blog though 😦 have a lovely week love bec xx
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I tried Fuchsia out in the garden, but it never survived last winter, which wasn’t that hard a winter. So how do your star wars (great name) survive?
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I’m right in the city so we don’t get much snow (2 or 3 days each winter – and sometimes none at all… and only rarely very heavy frosts). So I put more bark around Star Wars and I’ve never cut it back/it’s amoung lots other plants too. It’s about 3 years old. Tom Thumb fuchsia might be a better bet for you though it’s a big bush (nearly 2 meters) if you don’t prune it. I’ve seen it growing in cold exposed and snowy parts of Scotland/Ireland. Most of my fuchsias have to be over wintered in the garage though. Let me know how you get on next year. Love bec xx
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Fuchsias were one of the first flowers I ever propagated by cuttings, my father grew lots, I don’t grow them here in Italy, they don’t like it so hot and dry. I like your happy 100 days idea, maybe something to do in January. Thanks for commenting on my blog, it’s nice to meet you.
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A fuchsia called Star Wars – whatever next?! 😉 And my goodness, your Mum does love her fuchsias! So pleased they are making you happy, and especially so as some are still flowering in December. Hmm, what made me happy today? Making marzipan, Zumba, rapidly thickening Archers plot, planting bulbs I had forgotten were still in the fridge, not having whatever I had last week…I could go on… 🙂
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Your fuchsias are lovely, esp. the lavender ‘Star Wars’ – it is so elegant. I’m looking forward to the next Star Wars film, too (along with half the world!). Let’s hope it is awesome!
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What beautiful flowers! We have some very similar in our garden at home x
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Lovely fuchsias, especially Star Wars, and they look pretty in the vase. The movie opens here in NZ tonight I think. I would like to see it, but might wait until the crowds thin out a bit.
I haven’t grown fuchsias for years, and then last year I was given cuttings by someone who has the prettiest garden I’ve ever seen, and I also bought some unnamed seedlings in a sale. So suddenly I have a few which have all just come into flower. One of the un-named ones is really extreme – more like a Can-Can dancer than a ballerina. 🙂
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these remind me of my grandparents garden, so colourful
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Your fuchsias are just lovely and so well photographed Bec. I’ve never tried growing them–something to add to my list…
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Fantastic Fuchsias! A lovely idea to cut some for a vase to enjoy indoors!
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I love fuchsias and envy you your collection, Bec. I was able to grow them in my former shady garden but the hotter, drier conditions in my current garden, combined with our drought and water restrictions, has made them a poor investment for me at present.
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