Heightened Beauty: Hanging Baskets for Summer

Officially speaking, June marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere...a time of warmer temperatures, lush growth and the desire for more plants than you probably have room for. Even if the surface of your patio, deck or balcony is already full of containers, think hanging. The view from any window will look brighter and more cheerful with a splash of colorful flowers looking back at you.

Hanging baskets are easy to plant and maintain and many plants, both annuals and perennials, will thrive in this lofty space. Baskets can be planted densely and will look lush and mature right from the start. And the real benefit of hanging baskets is that you can position color and focus exactly where you want it. For example, hang a series of containers from a pergola or overhang, spacing them evenly for eye-level impact. Hang baskets on either side of your front door for a cheery welcome or suspend a basket from a mailbox or lamppost for a whimsical touch.

Numerous open weave containers can be fitted with chains or rope and hung, but the ones you typically see in the nursery or garden store are made from plastic-coated wire. They frequently come with their own pre-molded, sized-to-fit liner made from compressed fiber. Check out The Balcony Store for several styles. A liner of some sort is essential to hold in the potting mixture. Plastic sheeting or soaked sphagnum moss are other alternatives for liners.

If you’re feeling adventuresome, look for out-of-the-ordinary containers you can hang. A wicker basket (treated to prevent water damage), a wooden tub or even an old birdcage would make for an interesting look. Just be sure to drill drainage holes if there aren’t any. Solid sided containers also work fine for hanging baskets as long as they have something to hang by.

The plant combinations for your hanging garden are endless. You can plant a basket with all the same plant (for example, purple petunias) or different colors of the same plant (purple, pink and white impatiens) or a variety of plants (blue convolvulus, blue lobelia, blue, purple and white violas, variegated ivy). When choosing plants, make sure that at least half the plants have a trailing habit, since the cascade of blooms over the side of the container is what makes it so spectacular.

I have some favorites (ones that have performed best for me) for hanging baskets:

• scaevola (Scaevola aemula) or fanflower, so called because the flowers have their petals all on one side, making it resemble a fan. This sprawling plant is great for containers and blooms from late spring to fall. Its color is in the bluey lavender range.
  The copyright of the article Heightened Beauty: Hanging Baskets for Summer in Container Gardening is owned by Kathy Reiffenstein. Permission to republish Heightened Beauty: Hanging Baskets for Summer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

  Go To Page: 1 2 3

  Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic