When I first arrived in the NW, I found them growing in hanging baskets where they were mostly treated as annuals. Then wonder of wonders I discovered there were hardy fuchsias too!
I grow trailing fuchsias in pots hung around the perimeter of our gazebo. I have drip irrigation that I run for 20 minutes every other day all summer long. It keeps them moist and happy through the hottest summer weather. I feed them a scoop of granulated fish emulsion once every 6 weeks and I get flowers galore.
I cut the plants back to the edges of their pots (basically I take off all their green growth) just before first frost (Halloween week here). And then I hang them in my greenhouse for the winter. I keep the greenhouse at a minimum of 38 degrees. They get watered by the same sort of drip irrigation as I have out at the gazebo about once a week through March. Then starting in April, I water them every other day again until I hang them out at gazebo again the 3rd or 4th week in April. I start my feeding program around February 1st.
I used to take cuttings each year and toss out the old plants about every other year. But then I got lazy and discovered my plants were just fine using the regime I had. I don't even replace the soil unless a plant starts to whine. The Doug Firs around the gazebo provide needles in the pots and I guess they not only mulch the plants but are feeding them too!
I've always had a couple of hardy fuchsias that I grew in the shade and while they've done okay they haven't been robust. They die back to the ground every year and haven't gotten very bushy or large. Then I discovered that you were supposed to grow them in the sun here in the Seattle area! So this year I've taken cuttings from a neighbor's hardy fuchsias and will be planting a bed of them in the sun!
I really like the hardy fuchsias because they have such dainty little flowers. They press really well and are good used on cards, book marks and candles.