Complement the flower colours of old favourite, Fuchsia ‘Brutus’ with soft-purple nemesia blooms and purple-green sage foliage. Sage makes a good foil for ‘Brutus’, with its textured leaves in a variety of dark tones, which can also be picked for use in the kitchen. The nemesia will flower non-stop over a long period if you keep deadheading it regularly. Once the display is over, the sage can be moved into the garden, or transferred into a pot of its own. If you can’t find nemesia, this display would also work well with annual verbena or purple petunias.
You Will Need
- Fuchsia 'Brutus'
- Nemesia denticulata 'Mirabelle'
- Purple sage (2)
- 30cm terracotta pot
- Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
- Crocks
Total time:
Step 1
Place a layer of broken terracotta pot crocks in the bottom of the pot, and then three-quarters fill with compost.
Step 2
Plant the fuchsia first, in the centre of the pot, with the sage and nemesia plants around it. Firm plants in well and add more compost if necessary.
Step 3
Water the pot thoroughly and allow to drain fully before moving to its final position.
Kevin Smith says…
Position this container near your back door so you can harvest the sage for kitchen pickings. The display won’t be ruined if you cut a few leaves, meaning the pot can be both pretty and productive.
