Showstopping Hanging baskets

Summer wouldn't be summer without at least one hanging basket. Whether your style is classic or modern, Louise Curley has clever combinations for all situations

- Louise Curley

HANGING baskets are a simple and affordable way of adding interest to places that might otherwise be bare. They bring long-lasting colour to head height, making them an excellent choice for positioning near entrances and next to windows. Unlike garden borders, they allow you to change styles and planting each season, and because they take up little space they’re perfect for small gardens, balconies and courtyards.

Big, blowsy bedding plants like petunias and begonias, easily available as plug plants from garden centres and online, tend to be the go-to choice for baskets due to their incredible flower power and great range of colours. But if this isn’t your style, why not try something different? You could plant up herbs or succulents instead; and even though baskets are usually hung in sunny spots, by choosing your plants carefully it’s possible to create displays that will thrive in shady locations, too.

The best basket

When it comes to the actual basket, there’s a whole range of options – whether you fancy a classic wire hemisphere, woven willow cone or intricate metalwork design. There are those where you plant just the top, or those with holes in the sides for additional planting possibilities.

Go for one at least 35cm (14in) in diameter – any smaller and there won’t be sufficient room for the plants to grow and the compost will dry out too quickly. And remember that baskets are heavy when filled with plants and compost, especially when they’ve been watered, so you will need to make sure any wall brackets are securely fitted.