For ideas on selecting plants for containers to provide seasonal interest, see our pages on summer and winter container plants. See below suggestions for plants suitable for baskets. 

Plants for summer baskets:
Argyranthemum, Lysimachia nummularia (creeping Jenny), Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’, Pelargonium (geranium), Lobelia erinus, Petunia, Salvia and Nicotiana (tobacco plants), Glandularia, Helichrysum petiolare, and tumbling tomatoes.  

Plants for winter baskets:
Crocus, Gaultheria, Iris reticulata cultivars, Hedera (ivy) – either

Variegated means having leaves or other plant parts with streaks, blotches or patches of different colours. Typically, these would be a combination of two colours, such as green and gold or green and white.

Plants for

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

Plant summer hanging baskets from late April onwards, but they will need protection from frosts until late May/early June. If you do not have a greenhouse, it is usually easier to plant your basket once the risk of frost has passed. Acclimatise tender

Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season. They are generally easy to grow from seed or can be bought as young plants from garden centres. Annuals are ideal for growing in summer containers and filling gaps in borders. Some examples of annuals include sunflowers, cosmos, sweet peas and zinnia.

Plant winter hanging baskets between September and November. 

You would normally plant up a long-lasting perennial hanging basket from April onwards, depending on the types of plants being used.

There are a few things to consider before you plant up your hanging basket:

Lining

First of all, if you are using a standard wire basket, it will need to be lined. You can buy ready-made cardboard liners and fibrous materials sold for the purpose, but a thrifty option is to collect moss from your lawn. Avoid buying sphagnum moss, unless you are sure it has been harvested from a sustainable source. If using moss, aim to cover the inside with a layer about 1.5cm (½in) thick.

Watering systems

Before you fill your basket with

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

If you have many baskets, you might consider using an automated watering system. Drip irrigation systems deliver water slowly and directly to the roots so there is less risk of wasting water. They can be used with timers but still need to be adjusted as the plants grow bigger and the weather changes. Most drip irrigation systems are designed for mains tap water use as they need very clean and pressurised water for the drippers to operate correctly.

Compost

A good quality, peat-free multipurpose compost is fine for a display that only has to last for one year. Adding some loam based compost, such as peat-free John Innes potting compost, will benefit long-term plantings, but be mindful of the additional weight it will add to your basket. If you want to grow plants that prefer acidic soil, such as winter flowering heathers, it is best to go for ericaeous compost; although Erica carnea and E. × darleyensis, and cultivars of them, are less fussy about pH levels.

Planting up your basket

The same method is used for planting up both summer and winter baskets. See our handy step-by-step guide for information on planting a hanging basket. 

Watering frequency

Check baskets every day in summer, watering unless the

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

Try to avoid them drying out to the point where plants start to droop ('wilting point'), but if they do wilt, you can place a bucket underneath to capture the water that runs off and return it to the basket. This will save water and soluble nutrients that are needed for flowering.

Although baskets don’t dry out as quickly in winter, they still need regular checking. Aim to keep the compost moist but not soggy, and avoid wetting the foliage and flowers. See our guide to watering containers for further information. 

Feeding

Summer

Bedding plants are usually colourful half-hardy, short-lived or annual plants, grown for displays in beds or containers. They may be changed seasonally, with spring, summer and winter bedding displays each using different plants of appropriate hardiness and flowering times.

If you grow little shrubs or

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

Deadheading

Deadhead regularly to encourage a succession of flowers and prevent the plants’ energy going into seed production.

Most problems with hanging baskets are related to watering. If they are not flowering well it could be one of these causes:

• Underwatering. If
  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  compost becomes very dry, it is difficult to rewet. Keep the compost just moist by checking and watering regularly, adding water slowly so it seeps into the compost 
• Overwatering. If you water until it runs out of the bottom of the basket, soluble
  To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key plant nutrients usually derived from soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from the air. Other vital soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough nutrients to promote healthy plant growth.

  nutrients that the plants need to flower will be washed out of the compost, as well as wasting water
• Feeding without sufficient watering. Plants roots can be damaged by liquid feed that is not diluted correctly, always follow the instructions on the pack. Water the basket first before using diluted feed

Winter hanging baskets benefit greatly from a sheltered, sunny spot. If the position is exposed, consider giving the basket some protection in the coldest weather. Use either a layer of fleece, or sit the basket on a bucket in a cool greenhouse for just the worst days.

Watch out for insect damage from aphids, slugs, snails and vine weevil. Powdery mildews may be troublesome.