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.