How do you make a hanging basket look modern?
Avoid traditional double-flowered summer bedding (such as multi-petalled begonias) and, instead, opt for single-flowered plants (such as Tagetes ‘Tangerine Gem’) that help pollinators and have a more contemporary look. Use ivy-leaf and scented-leaf pelargoniums, instead of the classic zonal forms. And consider less obvious plants: anything that trails could be great in a planter – for instance, a mix of blue rock bindweed and Campanula poscharskyana, which tumble beautifully and feed pollinators.
What are the best plants for hanging baskets?
FOR SCENT – Dwarf sweet peas (including ‘Pink Cupid’) smell incredible amongst trailing aromatic foliage, such as scented-leaf pelargoniums (for example, ‘Pink Capricorn’) and Indian mint (Satureja douglasii).
FOR WILDLIFE – Some traditional basket bedders are wildlife friendly, including lobelia and trailing vervain. Bumblebees love nasturtiums and butterflies feed on heliotrope.
FOR SHADE – When hanging against a north or east-facing wall, choose a mix of ivies, dwarf hostas, regal pelargoniums, busy lizzies, and fuchsias.
What is the laziest way to plant a hanging basket?
Purchase a coir-lined basket and, instead of making planting holes, simply sow or plant a mass of one or two things in the top. For instance, trailing nasturtiums or geraniums (such as ‘April Hamilton’), which will pour over the sides and bloom for months, or just one stunning purple bell vine plant, which will form a waterfall of raspberry and claret.
You could also consider a permanent hanging basket by using long-lived plants, rather than summer bedding plugs. For example, plant two types of ivy or a compact honeysuckle.
Jacky Parker Photography
How do I plant a no-water hanging basket?
If you’re away a lot in summer or too busy to water, consider using succulents. Hailing from arid terrain, they retain moisture in their leathery leaves. Echeverias are excellent summer bedders, but a mix of hardier succulents (including sedums and houseleeks) will create a year-round display in all manner of interesting hanging baskets. Full sun is essential and, in milder parts of the country, your succulent basket will flower.
Other options include prostrate rosemary and creeping thyme, which are robust Mediterranean herbs that should only need watering in prolonged drought. Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) can, likewise, survive on minimal moisture and produces pink and white daisies for months.
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