Even if your flat or house does not have a garden, you can use window boxes and hanging baskets to add colour and interest to the outside of your home with year-round displays of flowers and foliage.
Creating a hanging basket
- In small spaces, take advantage of hanging baskets to vertically extend your growing space and create trailing spheres of colour. Screw purpose-made brackets to the wall, from which to suspend the baskets, and bear in mind the advice on position when considering planting.
- The most effective and stunningly beautiful baskets are crammed full of plants. For summer, choose a selection of long-flowering bedding plants, such as petunias, fuchsias and geraniums, plus trailing foliage, such as ivy. For winter, evergreen foliage, heathers, and ferns retain the good looks of a healthy basket.
- Don’t stop at flowering plants and herbs: a number of vegetables do well in hanging baskets, such as tumbling cherry tomatoes and chilli peppers.
- Baskets need to be lined – select from foam, felt, and recycled wool liners to retain moisture and, in winter baskets, to conserve warmth.
- You don’t have to make your basket from scratch if you don’t want to. Baskets come already made-up from nurseries, or you can buy easy-to-make packs.
Planting a hanging basket
- Choose a large hanging basket with a matching-sized liner. Fit the liner inside the basket, then add water-retaining granules, mixed with a small amount of compost, according to product instructions.
- Cut small slits at regular intervals along the basket lining. From the inside, push through the top of each plant, so the root and bottom stems remain inside the basket. Cover with a thin layer of compost.
- Plant the top of the basket, leaving enough room for the plants to spread. Include flowering bulbs in the basket to maintain the lifespan. Give the basket a really good watering when you’ve finished.
