Flowers for Hangers

Mixing flower colors helps create an interesting hanging basket.

Hanging baskets can provide a flowering season full of color when hung outside windows, from porches or on garden hooks throughout the yard. Choosing flowers for a hanging basket allows a gardener to play with color and scale by combining blooms of many colors and cascading flowers that spill over the sides of the basket.

Annuals

Many annual plants, those that only live for one growing season, are ideal choices for an attractive hanging basket. Annuals are beneficial for hanging baskets, because many gardeners only leave hanging baskets up through the spring and summer. Baskets planted with annuals can be redone every year, allowing gardeners to experiment with different plants and combinations. Some ideal plants for annual hanging baskets include calibrachoa, bidens and scaevola recommends Ed Hume Seeds. Calibrachoa features blooms similar to petunias in a variety of colors, including red, pink, white, yellow, orange and violet. Bidens add a sunny yellow texture to the hanging basket with lacy leaves and a long, summer-blooming season. Scaevola is a trailing plant known for its lavender to deep purple blooms.

Vines

In addition to annual flowers and trailing flowers, there are several flowering vines that are well suited to a colorful, flower-filled hanging basket. Vines are ideal for creating a hanging basket with flowers spilling over the sides and stretching down toward the ground. Some vines to consider include varieties of clematis and roving sailor vines, according to Mr. Smarty Plants of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Drummond's clematis features a wispy, whitish-green flower responsible for its nickname, Old Man's Beard. Scarlet leather clematis features bell-shaped, lipstick-red flowers.

Edibles

Several edible flowers, fruits and vegetables also do well when suspended in hanging baskets. Edible plants can be planted alone or mixed with other flowering plants for an interesting mix. Some recommended edible plants include nasturtiums, strawberries, lettuce and parsley, according to North Coast Gardening. Nasturtiums are edible flowers that can be added to salads or used as edible garnish on baked goods. Strawberries will bloom in the spring and fill the basket with summer berries. Lettuce and parsley both add color, texture and greenery to a basket full of flowers.

Considerations

There are several things to consider when choosing a combination of plants and flowers for a hanging basket. Some plants require full sun, while others benefit from some shade. Choose plants that require the same lighting conditions. To attract birds and butterflies, choose hanging baskets with wildlife-attractive flowers. Hanging these baskets by windows will allow people to sit and enjoy the activity of the wildlife. Choose plants that require the same amount of water, to avoid over- or underwatering certain plants in the mixture.

References

• Ed Hume Seeds: 6 Top Notch Summer Annuals to Use in Hanging Baskets
• North Coast Gardening: Victoria, B.C.-Style Hanging Flower Baskets
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Hanging Basket Container Plants for Butterflies and Birds
• Sloat Garden Center: Create an Edible Hanging Basket