Ribes Speciosum: Fuchsia-Flowering Gooseberry

This has been a full on working week with little blip time. It rained last night so I thought I must just try and see if the little camera could capture a quick raindrop.
The nearest were delicately lodged on the ribes speciosum.

I first saw this plant in the Oxford Botanic Gardens: it was the showiest plant of all in late winter, and looked stunning espaliered against an ancient brick wall. Sadly it's not there anymore.

It took me four years to source one. It has dark green shiny leaves and fuschia-like flowers and really lethal rust red spines and looks great all year round. You can see the buds and just about see the spines in the picture.

I read that it's pollinated by hummingbirds, so no pollination here then? but it does seem to be hardy, and not mind the clay soil, and it produces lovely delicate red flowers in late winter.