A cascading basket of summer plants is a great
way to add a splash of colour outside your home. They look
beautiful, smell lovely can be planted with a variety plants that
will give you a stunning display that will last through till the
autumn.
May is the month for planting up your hanging
baskets and to put out after the frosts have ended, they are not
difficult to do it’s a bit like a theatre show you need a centre
star for the show, maybe a zonal geranium for height in the middle
or a spiky cordyline, then the supporting acts around the sides. A
couple of Surfina petunias dramatically cascade down the sides,
certainly a trailing Fuchsia and an ivy leaf geranium then two or
three basket plants depending on the size of your basket. I always
recommend a 14’’ basket for it will retain the moisture well and
will have enough variety of plants to give a stunning summer
show.
When choosing your plants choose either cool
pinks,whites and purples together or the hotter reds, oranges and
yellow combinations, they will compliment one another and give a
balanced look to the basket, alternatively use only a single
specimen plant such as surfinas, million bells, geraniums or
fuchsias for that classic look.
What ever you choose always use a good brand of
basket compost and a little slow release granular fertiliser also
perhaps some water retaining gel. Plant your basket up and keep it
light in a protected place till all frosts have passed then hang it
out. A good selection of ready made baskets will be available in
most garden centres and at the Jinney ring craft centre. To be the
envy of the street feed your basket with a liquid fertiliser every
2-3 weeks and most importantly water your basket every day,
moisture is the key for once they dry out they are difficult to
rehydrate. Remember your basket is relying on you for all it’s
water and nutrient during the summertime. Looked after you will be
rewarded with a huge basket of colour that may cascade like the
theatre curtain all the way to the floor.