Successful hanging displays begin with choosing the right hanging baskets and accessories. Get the best hardware and you’re onto a winner. Whether you want to brighten up your front entrance, disguise a plain shed or give a courtyard a bit of a lift, hanging baskets are the perfect way to introduce colour and interest. Here’s our basket buying advice, along with top tips on which eye-catching hanging basket plants to choose.
This article was reviewed by the Suttons horticultural team and updated on 29th July 2024
Which hanging basket is right for you?
Image: Large grey stone effect hanging basket from Suttons (©Branded Garden Products)
Hanging baskets come in different shapes, sizes and materials. Here are some of the most popular types:
- Lined hanging baskets – one of the most popular and traditional options, these simple metal cages need to be lined with coir, moss or plastic. They come in different styles and colours, including highly decorative versions. Lined baskets dry out slightly quicker than plastic, so be sure to add water storing granules to your mix.
- Black hanging baskets – these large, plain, plastic baskets have wide tops which make them simple to plant and they retain water well. Supplied with four support chains rather than the usual three, they’re a strong option for heavier displays.
- Bloom around baskets – these plastic baskets retain water well and have special ‘gates’ in the sides to allow you to plant all the way around, as well as in the top.
- Wall baskets – attaching directly to a house or a shed wall, rather than being suspended from a bracket, these are a good choice for a windy or exposed area as they’re very strong and don’t move about.
- Stone-effect hanging baskets – contemporary, sleek and stylish, these hanging baskets are designed to be seen, and look just as good indoors and out. Available in light and dark grey.
If you choose a suspended hanging basket, remember to get a strong wall bracket to hang it securely.
How to plant up a hanging basket video guide
When you’ve chosen your hanging basket hardware and found the best place to hang your display, watch our short video guide for tips on how to plant them up.
The best bedding plants for hanging baskets
Image: Suttons
Create a spectacular display in your chosen hanging basket with a selection of colourful bedding plants. Here’s what to include:
- Trailing foliage: Add some drama with a trailing plant like heucherella trailing trio whose vibrant leaves will cascade over the side of your basket. Or what about a fun trailing herb like Aztec sweet herb ‘Colada’ (Lippia dulcis) which has sweet, medicinal leaves?
- Trailing flowers: A waterfall of flowers makes a luxurious statement. Try Thunbergia (black eyed Susan) for exotic coloured petals with striking black eyes. Or try Nasturtium ‘Orange Troika’ whose bright orange blooms brighten up your basket from June to September.
- Tumbling flowers: Grow a froth of joyful colour with a tumbling flower variety like Sanvitalia. Looking just like mini yellow sunflowers, they cascade happily over the edge of your basket. Another good choice, Lobelia seeds like ‘Ultra Cascade Mix’ produce a cloud of different colours that form a loose halo around your other plants.
- Multi-coloured blooms: If you want something unusual for your basket, the blooms of petunia ‘Peach Sundae’ change daily, moving from yellow to orange and into peach.
- Height: Create some interest in the top of your basket by planting Clematis ‘Little Lemons’. This unusual, super dwarf variety has upright stems that reach 45cm tall. The bright yellow flowers appear between May and September.
- Fragrance: Bring an added dimension to your baskets with a tantalising fragrance as you brush past. Sweet pea ‘Sweetie Mix’ is a beautifully scented, super compact variety that would work well.
- Edible: Make your baskets earn their keep by filling them with ornamental edibles like blackberry ‘Black Cascade’ or tomato ‘Tumbling Tom Red’.
For more helpful hints, see our best expert advice on hanging baskets. And don’t let them sit idle through the colder months. Use our winter hanging basket guide to create an all year round display. If you’re in a hurry, check out our range of pre-planted hanging baskets that are ready to hang on delivery.
Lead image: Hanging basket liner from Suttons (©Thompson & Morgan)
