15 low maintenance evergreen plants for hanging baskets – Growing Family

Hanging baskets are a versatile and visually captivating way to bring greenery into any outdoor space. While seasonal blooms offer bursts of colour, evergreen plants for hanging baskets provide interest that lasts throughout the year. From cascading, lush foliage to delicate textures and colourful flowers, evergreens bring life to vertical spaces, offering a dynamic backdrop that complements any garden.

The best evergreen plants for hanging baskets

In this article, we’ll explore the world of evergreen plants suitable for hanging baskets. Whether you’re an experienced gardener looking to expand your repertoire, or a novice seeking low-maintenance greenery, there’s an evergreen plant to suit every taste and skill level.

Can hanging baskets last all year round?

Absolutely.  If you choose evergreen plants for hanging baskets as your base, and swap in a few seasonal plants throughout the year, you can create a lovely year-round display.

Just make sure you provide your hanging basket plants with a regular *feed, as a container plant will quickly exhaust the nutrients in the compost. Keep an eye on moisture levels too, especially in the warmer months when baskets and pots can quickly dry out.

Benefits of using evergreen plants in hanging baskets and pots

As well as looking great, there are lots of other benefits to choosing evergreen plants for hanging baskets:

• Year-round impact: you won’t need to put your hanging baskets away for a portion of the year, leaving a bare outdoor space. This can be particularly useful in winter months.
• Cost-saving: introducing evergreen plants to your hanging pots will reduce the number of annual plants you need to buy, which can save you money.
• Beneficial to wildlife: evergreen plants provide a source of pollen and nectar to beneficial insects, and can also provide a food source for wild birds. As such they’re a great way to make your garden more wildlife friendly.
• Low maintenance: evergreen plants often require very little maintenance, so if you’re tight on time or nervous about caring for more demanding plants, they can be ideal.

Our top picks for evergreen hanging basket plants

Ready to give your hanging planters year-round appeal? Take your pick from these fantastic evergreen plants for hanging baskets.

Heuchera

Heucheras (also known as coral bells) really earn their space in a container display.  Their foliage is the main attraction, but they also produce small flowers in summer that will attract pollinators.  These evergreen perennial plants for hanging baskets are available in a wide range of colours, from deep reds right through to zingy greens.

Evergreen ferns

Depending on the variety you choose, you can use evergreen ferns in a hanging basket to add height, structure, or a trailing element.  Good evergreen varieties for containers include Japanese Tassel Fern (Polystichum polyblepharum), and Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium).

Skimmia japonica

Japanese skimmia boasts shiny leaves, and in colder months there are interesting berries to add a splash of colour. A compact variety such as ‘Rubella’ will be fantastic for hanging baskets.

Carex

Carex is a compact evergreen grass that is also known as ornamental sedge.  It’s a perfect plant for hanging baskets and there’s a range of different colours to choose from.

Cineraria

An absolute must for a hanging basket with a cool colour scheme, cineraria has gorgeous silvery foliage. Pair it with deeper greens and shades of pink and purple flowers for a wow factor display.

Calocephalus

Another excellent choice for silver tones, calocephalus has coral-like stems that look delicate but are actually quite robust.

Creeping jenny (Lysimachia)

Creeping jenny has bright yellow-green foliage and can be a real stunner when it comes to evergreen trailing plants for hanging baskets.

Ivy

Tough, low maintenance and with a fabulous trailing habit, English ivy is one of the best plants for  evergreen hanging baskets. These hardy perennials are also an important source of shelter and food for garden wildlife. Choose from variegated or single colour leaves.

Ajuga

Ajuga will happily cover the surface of a hanging basket, providing foliage interest and helping to maintain moist soil.

Helichrysum petiolare

Also known as liquorice plant, Helichrysum has tactile grey-green leaves and long stems that will happily trail over the edges of a hanging basket.

Hebe

These evergreen shrubs are usually associated with garden borders, but if you choose a compact variety they will be great in a hanging basket. As well as evergreen foliage, you can look forward to fragrant flowers and lots of visits from pollinating insects in summer. Hebes tend to form a mound shape, so they work well in the centre of a hanging planter.

Vinca minor (lesser periwinkle)

Vinca is quite an invasive plant and will run riot if you let it, but in a hanging basket you can limit the spread. In addition to the evergreen leaves you can enjoy pretty purple or white flowers in late summer.

Hardy Sedums

If succulents are your thing, consider hardy sedums for an evergreen hanging basket. These plants are a good idea for low-level interest and will do a good job of covering up the soil. ‘Redhead’ and ‘Moss sedum’ are great varieties to try.

Tradescantia Zebrina

This variety of Tradescantia has silver and purple striped foliage and a trailing habit which makes it an ideal evergreen plant for hanging baskets.

Heathers

Heathers are super-tough evergreens. You might think of them as a popular choice for winter plants, but there are flowering varieties for spring, summer, autumn and winter. And bees love them!

Choosing evergreen plants for hanging baskets: a quick checklist

• Choose evergreen plants that like growing in the conditions your hanging basket provides – for example, partial shade, full sun, exposed to winds etc. All the plants should have similar needs for best results.
• Choose a hanging basket that’s big enough to comfortably hold your plants – and remember they will grow bigger.  Make sure it has good drainage too; well-drained soil is preferable to waterlogging.
• Use high quality *peat-free compost in your hanging baskets to provide your hardy plants with plenty of nutrients.
• For maximum impact, use the ‘Thriller, Filler, Spiller’ rule when planting in hanging baskets and pots. Choose ‘thriller’ plants as the main focus, use smaller ‘filler’ plants to bulk out your display, and use ‘spiller’ plants that trail over the sides of your container to create balance.
• Feed your plants regularly to keep nutrient levels topped up.  *concentrated liquid, *granules and *ready-to-pour liquid feed are all ideal.
• Check the compost regularly and water if it feels dry. This is particularly important in a warmer growing season. A *lightweight watering can will be easier to use at height.
• Useful tools for container gardening include *gardening gloves,*secateurs or *snips for pruning, and a *hand trowel.

In conclusion, evergreen plants present an exciting opportunity to enhance the charm and longevity of your hanging baskets. By selecting the right varieties and implementing proper care techniques, you can create stunning displays that captivate the eye all year round.

Whether you opt for trailing evergreen ivy, lush ferns, or compact heuchera, the versatility of evergreen plants provides you with lots of options. You can experiment with different combinations, textures, and container styles to create a display that reflects your unique taste and garden style.

With a bit of planning and attention, your evergreen-filled hanging baskets will continue to thrive, providing year-round beauty and enjoyment for years to come. So embrace the greenery and let your hanging baskets flourish with the timeless allure of evergreen plants.

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