Can I pick your brains please?

[Justmuddlingalong]

I'm a novice gardener in NE Scotland, and my pots and troughs are looking a bit sad. The summer's geraniums, begonias and petunias are leggy and really past their best. I've nowhere to overwinter them, so as wasteful as it is, do I just whip them out? Also although my fuschias are still flowering and looking good, will they need to come out when the flowering ends? I've got lots of hardy perennials and evergreens but I'd ike to plant some primroses, cyclamen and pansies for a bit of colour. I'd be grateful for any advice.

Technically I think all the plants you mentioned are perennial, but some are hardier than others. If you’ve no space to over-winter, they’ll have to go. Could you leave your fuschias where they are and plant round them? They may survive the winter outside; may, if hardy enough. If you plant pansies, buy plants of a decent size; they don’t grow much until spring. I’d underplant your pansies with some dwarf daffodil (like Tête-à-tête) and crocuses - always good to see bulbs emerging after the winter.

Ditto to decent-sized polyanthus and primrose; they don’t grow much either, but you can definitely keep them from year to year. They do increase in size and can be split to give you new plants easily enough.

Thank you, Knittedfairies, I tried hanging onto them all last year, but the winter killed them off. I think it's just too cold here, I'm right on the coast. I'll keep the fuschias because they still look lovely and plant around them as you've suggested. I'll also put some bulbs in the pots as you're right, they're a lovely surprise in the spring. Thanks again for taking the time to reply.