Hanging baskets masterclass: best expert content

Here’s all the advice you need to create the best hanging baskets ever. Packed with useful articles, videos and Instagram posts – these gardeners have generously shared the knowledge they’ve acquired through years of trial and error. If you’re new to basket growing or you’re keen to learn more, here’s how to successfully choose hanging basket plants along with tips to keep them blooming for as long as possible.

This article was reviewed by T&M’s horticultural team and updated on 17 April 2024.

Mix water-retaining crystals into the soil

How do you stop your hanging baskets drying out, and spend less time watering? That’s the question allotmenteer extraordinaire, Tony O’Neill at Simplify Gardening sets out to answer in his YouTube video. He begins by reiterating the importance of thoroughly soaking your hanging baskets, before going on to explain about the use of water gel crystals, and putting super-absorbent disposable nappies at the bottom of your baskets before you add the compost – what a great idea.

Repurpose plastic bottles to help water the roots

Sam from @happy_place_gardener loves coming home to OTT floral displays at her front door. She pops a layer of perlite into the bottom, before adding some moisture-retaining grower into peat-free compost to prevent the baskets from drying out too quickly. Her genius hack is to add a “reused upturned water/pop bottle with a hole in the lid… as it allows for direct watering to the roots.” Visit her on Insta to see all of the fruits, flowers and plants she grows in her amazing hanging baskets.

Discover the best hanging basket plants for shade

Not everyone has the advantage of a sunny south-facing garden, says James Middleton of The Allotment Garden. But if you think that rules out growing spectacular hanging baskets, James proves it can be done, and done in style. His advice is to aim for high impact foliage like ferns, heuchera, and ivies, and also to add partial-shade loving options like Lobelia Erinus. For a full range of lovely plants for shady hanging baskets, please do take a look at James’ excellent article, Hanging Baskets for areas of shade.

Combine a ‘thriller, filler and spiller’ for maximum kerb appeal

“Hanging baskets need three types of plants: ‘Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers’,” says the team at Thrive. “The Thriller is the taller plant that features as your centrepiece creating structure and impact. ‘Fillers’ are planted around the central plant, and ‘Spillers’ are planted at the edge of the basket to trail over.” For great suggestions for each plant category, check out the full post which also includes some excellent tips for getting kids involved – like planting edible baskets with tumbling tomatoes and herbs.

Experiment with perennials for low-maintenance baskets

Sharron from @flossie_and_boo_ is experimenting with perennial plants in her baskets. She says, “I have hardy geraniums in the hanging baskets and lavender in the fence baskets. I will cut them back when the flowers are done and overwinter them on my allotment, ready to bring out again next spring when they come back to life.” Even more clever, she’s buying a second set of baskets for winter perennials so she can just keep swapping them in and out… Follow her on Insta to see if her money-saving plan works!

Wait until after the last frost to leave baskets out overnight

“Plant up your baskets in April to allow the plants to establish before putting your baskets outside when the risk of frost has passed,” says our team of horticulturalists here at Thompson & Morgan. If you’re looking for some quick information, our ten top tips for hanging baskets is a great place to start. Other gems include making sure you select a hanging basket that’s big enough so that it won’t dry out too fast, and choosing a quality compost.

Feed baskets regularly for long-lasting blooms

If you’d like to know how to keep your hanging baskets blooming for longer and looking great right to the end of the season, you really must check out Ray’s video over at Gardening for Beginners. His top tips include snipping off the faded flowers along with any developing seed pods. If your basket is feeling very dry, he recommends sitting it in a container of water for an hour before adding a few handfuls of fresh compost and some soluble fertiliser. If you need convincing, just check out Ray’s incredible blooms – this is great advice from a man who knows his stuff.

Fill hanging baskets with ornamental fruit and veg

“Not everyone has the space for a full-blown vegetable garden,” says Benedict Vanheems at GrowVeg.com. That’s why he’s come up with a space-saving solution that’s also great fun – fruit and vegetable hanging baskets. If that sounds like something you’d like to try, check out Benedict’s video in which he shows you which fruit and veg to plant in a hanging basket, the best way to plant them, and tips for a tasty harvest.

Add trailing herbs to your basket mix

Try growing herbs in your edible hanging basket, says Marie Shallcross at Plews Garden Design. She recommends trailing thymes and marjoram which, she says, “come in spicy and citrus varieties as well as the ‘ordinary’ types you’d expect.” Also making Marie’s list are mint, origanum, and rosemary. Salads like mangetouts and tomatoes get the thumbs up too, as do strawberries and, our favourite, cucamelons.

Create salad baskets in your vertical space

How about an edible hanging basket that includes plenty of ingredients for a Mediterranean-style diet along with companion plants to keep pests away? That’s what Mel over @melslittlegarden has been growing in her hanging baskets. Filled with tomatoes, herbs and flowers, she waters daily and feeds weekly to keep everything growing well. Check out her Instagram post for a corker of a hanging basket planting scheme!

Give your hanging baskets a makeover in autumn

Have you thought of giving your hanging baskets an autumn makeover? Instead of packing them away at the end of summer, watch this video over at Grow It! where Barry demonstrates how to replant a spent hanging basket with violas, ivy and a Cupressus Goldcrest Wilma. A great way to keep your garden looking colourful through the winter, Barry’s baskets can be turned round for a different colour scheme!

Use tried and tested colour schemes for winter hanging baskets

How about some ideas for wonderful winter hanging baskets? Writing for Thompson & Morgan’s blog, Nic Wilson from Dogwood Days provides two lovely winter planting schemes. The first is a lime, green and gold hanging basket featuring delights like Dwarf Lemon Cypress and Slender sweet flag grass. The second is a red, white, and silver display with Checkerberry and Heuchera ‘Prince of Silver’. Alternatively, you could grow both! Nic shows you how to plant winter hanging baskets with panache.

Brighten up winter baskets with unusual foliage

If you’re looking for flowers to plant in winter hanging baskets, try heather, hellebores and winter flowering bulbs like snowdrops, says Catherine Hughes over at Growing Family. Just three of the wealth of planting suggestions on offer here, if you dream of winter colour for your garden, this post is a must. There’s also an equally impressive selection of winter foliage and evergreen plantings for anyone planting a cold season container display.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these expert tips and can now get more satisfaction from your hanging baskets. For more information and advice about planting up hanging baskets, visit our hub page.