Fuchsia procumbens.
Photo by Ted Sweetman
This species is native to New Zealand and has been adopted as the society emblem.

On this Page
Scroll down to see the following:
Fuchsia Calendar for 2009
AGM 2007
Fuchsiarama 2008 report
Branch Directory
Links to Articles
Links to Photo Gallery
Links to Group Pages
Notice to Overseas groups
Service to members
Map of group locations
Death notice for Ted Sweetman
A new page for the Franklin Fuchsia Group
North West Fuchsia Society Convention

Recent Updates

Franklin Fuchsia Group
April 2008

Home Page
29th April 2008

Fuchsiarama 2008
28th April 2008

Marlborough Fuchsia Society
2nd August 2007

Christchurch Fuchsia Circle
2nd August 2007

Wellington Fuchsia Society
30th June 2007

AGM 2007 Waiuku
15th April 2007

Sun City Fuchsia Group;
15th May 2006

Ashburton
22nd August 2006

Articles
29th August 2006

Articles 2
2nd September 2006

Gallery
18th September 2006

Gallery 2
6th November 2006

 

Welcome to the Home Page of the
National Fuchsia Society of New Zealand.

The society exists to promote the interest of fuchsias to all parts of New Zealand and to collaborate with all fuchsia societies world wide.
We encourage social interaction between affiliated members and societies. New members are always welcome.

This society is the national body for various fuchsia societies throughout New Zealand, as shown on the map below, as well as independent members in New Zealand and throughout the world.

The society maintains a register of all fuchsias grown in New Zealand. The registrar is Elaine Baldwin and her address is shown in the contact list below the map.

 

 

 

Links to Individual Branch Pages & Articles

Ashburton

C.H.S. Fuchsia Circle

Marlborough Fuchsia Society

Fuchsia 2000 Club Taranaki

Sun City Fuchsia Group

Wellington

Independent Members

AGM 2007 Waiuku (Franklin)

Fuchsiarama

Fuchsia Links

Articles

Articles 2

Fuchsia Gallery

Fuchsia Gallery 2

The Franklin Fuchsia Group

Services to Members

Members are supplied with a free newsletter, called the National Link, which is published quarterly, and they may borrow videos etc. from the library which is held by the national treasurer.
Free advice is available on any aspect of fuchsia culture and members may attend and speak at annual general meetings.
A contact list of branches to which members may belong is shown on the left of the map and contact details are supplied below. There are a large number of independent members both in New Zealand and throughout the world.
A testing programme is available for growers of new hybrids prior to registration.
Training and judging examinations are held as required.

2007 Executive
The National Fuchsia Society of
New Zealand

President;Trevor Gamblin.
Vice President; Bert Kennerley.
Treasurer;Catherine Nunweek.
Secretary; Marion Prestney.
Editor; James Kane .
Registrar; Elaine Baldwin.
.

Ted Sweetman
(16 March, 1925 - 17 January, 2008)

 

Calendar Notes

With the passing of Ted Sweetman there will be just one more calendar for the year 2009. This will be produced by the Wellington Fuchsia Society as a tribute to Ted.
See the notice above, centre column, from Peter O"Hara.

Eulogy - TED SWEETMAN
(16 March, 1925 - 17 January, 2008) in his 83rd year.

I am, Trevor Gamblin, President of the National Fuchsia Society of New Zealand.

I am very fortunate and honoured to count the late Ted Sweetman as a friend, or more accurately a 'fuchsia friend'. We first met at the Fuchsiarama '86 held in Motueka at the site of the Whakarewarewa Boys Home. That was a combined fuchsia enthusiasts gathering put on by a committee comprising members from the Motueka, Nelson and Blenheim groups. No doubt Ted had a guiding finger in that "pie"!

I've always called him "Dad", as to me he was the guiding figure for all things fuchsia. Alison is "Mum" for the very same reasons. This couple, which has been a "team extraordinaire", have spared no effort or expense over the years to make the fuchsia fraternity what it is today. Ted can rest assured that he leaves behind a great legacy of knowledge and effort. Those of us remaining will continue to live his motto: "Fuchsia folk are friendly and helpful folk".

Ted guided the formation and steady growth of the National Fuchsia Society of New Zealand Inc. from its inception in 1984 and served as President throughout the formative years. Had Ted survived until the society's AGM next year, he would have celebrated 25 years in our movement. To me his time would equate to 50 or 100 years served in any other organisation. Such was the level and intensity of his participation. When he retired as president he readily agreed to become the society's Patron and was given the title. "Ambassador-at-large". Ted being Ted, he continued to support our society fully and I must add - with Alison's support always. Ted was an excellent ideas man and not adverse to "doing things".

For obvious reasons, Ted was known far and wide as "Mr Fuchsia". Seldom was his ability to name and identify flowers questioned. I remember one of his earliest quotes: "If you want me to identify flowers, bring foliage samples too." Hearing this Alison would nod her head in agreement, Some horticulturalists guard their knowledge and know-how jealously but not our Ted. He shared his knowledge as it was his way of spreading the "gospel".

Ted will be remembered by many who benefited from his ability to organise and conduct wonderful overseas trips. These took him and Alison to many corners of our world where fuchsias are grown. I'm sure the participants saw things and reached places that ordinary travelers never saw. I well remember a trip to Australia in 1991 when traveled from Sydney to Canberra, Melbourne, Tasmania, Adelaide and finally Perth seeing sights we had only read about and also visiting many of the fuchsia groups who happened to be on our itinerary. To me this summed up Ted's great ability as a travel Agent. I remember my wife, Anne telling Ted one day, "We love your trips - everything is free!" Of course we had pre paid well before leaving home!

Ted's overseas trips also gave him a chance to catch up with the latest happenings and renew connections with groups, especially some where language barriers existed. No doubt keen garden enthusiasts speak an international language. A positive side to these liaisons was the number of overseas individuals and groups who came to New Zealand specifically with kiwi fuchsia growers. The NFS members also benefited from exchanges of newsletters, magazines and bulletins. A negative side is a French language publication that seldom has its pages turned.

Many of us have participated in bus trips to the Ellerslie Flower Show since its inception. I remember Ted's reaction when our train reached Taumaranui on the main trunk line to be told there was a slip on the section to Hamilton and we would be transferred to buses. Ted expressed his displeasure to the station master who literally cringed. The upshot was a bumper supper in Hamilton and later a very apologetic letter offering a free rail trip anywhere in New Zealand from the Railways. Nobody let Ted down and got away with it. Alison will remember that our train had suffered an electrical breakdown earlier that day and we lost three hours travel time. No wonder we arrived about five hours late at our Auckland motel. Ted was unflappable!

Those who have gained judging status owe their certificates to the dedicated work of Ted and Alison who organised seminars for affiliated groups. From scratch they built up a learning programme and guide notes that were the envy of overseas groups. Luckily for our society, Ted had the foresight to train a replacement for this important aspect of fuchsia life. Bert Kennerley has big shoes to fill.

Through their business, Procumbens Publishing, Ted supported by Alison, worked tirelessly producing calendars, books and culture notes that were sold to fuchsia enthusiasts here and in overseas countries at sufficient profit to enable them to gift sizeable royalties to our national society. Really our national society is beholden to this show of generosity. When questioned, the reply was: "Because we wanted too!".

Their home and garden for many, many years was the pride and joy of this wonderful couple. Well over a thousand different fuchsias graced the property at the top of a steep hill. How they managed to garden without falling over the edge, I'll never know. Perhaps their skinny dipping sessions in the conservatory pool gave them added fitness. Those who have experienced their hospitality, know that it was second to none.

Alison, I know you will have heaps of happy memories to help soften the blow of Ted's passing.

Ted, as you tackle the huge "garden in the sky" of fuchsias. you will be sadly missed and leave a huge gap in our lives.