Susanna Grant is a garden designer and co-director of Care, Not Capital, with the irrepressible John Little (we wrote about him here). With help from “lots of excellent gardeners and ecologists,” they offer a free program that helps to equip trainees with the skills needed for “modern gardening.” Susanna explains: “The main idea is shifting the emphasis and some of the budget away from hard landscaping and infrastructure towards planting, habitat creation—and gardeners.”
This little yard in North London was transformed by Susanna for like-minded clients, who had already successfully campaigned with their Islington neighbors to get the local authorities to install some planters on a sad stretch of sidewalk, which they described as a “disused piece of pavement.” They asked Susanna to make a wildlife garden there; then asked her to help them with their own disused backyard.
Above: A lot of plants and a consistent palette in the hardscaping make a small space seem bigger. “It was a tough brief as the owner wanted interesting plants: lots of planting plus room. I think it shows what you can fit in a space.” Above: “The back garden is tiny, north-facing and quite boxed in,” says Susanna. “It backs onto flats, and rather than try to pretend they weren’t there, I wanted to ensure the view from the house focused the eye on the planting—not up and beyond.” Above: “The client wanted interesting plants,” continues Susanna. “Although my scheme was predominantly quite woodland because of the aspect, there was an existing banana, nandina domestica and acer palmatum which I needed to work around. I added an Abutilon ‘Canary Bird’ right next to the house as it flowers for most of the year and picks up on the vibe of some of the existing plants.”
File this under Seemingly Antithetical but True: The tinier the outdoor space, the more verdant it should be. “We find that minimalist garden strategies work well on large, vast spaces, while smaller gardens are more conducive to wild, exuberant approaches,” says David Godshall of LA- and San Francisco-based landscape architecture firm Terremoto. “Therefore, in this small space, we got wild.”
The garden in question belongs to architect Fredrik Nilsson of Studio Nilsson, a neighbor and friend of David’s, and was, when the pair began, “mostly just dust,” David remembers. Construction had just wrapped on the compact, architecturally forward LA house Fredrik designed for his young family, and the remaining space on the lot was tight—some of it set at an incline. Still, the family “wanted to make the most of it. They have a young daughter and wanted to spend family time together outside as well,” David says.
Creating the feeling of an oasis, even in a busy urban environment, was key. “Through conversation and walking onsite together, we realized we want to create privacy from the street, and thus we planted jasmine to intertwine with the steel fence and make the garden smell wonderful,” says David. A mix of native California flora, low-water plantings, places to lounge, and artfully hardscaped paths complete the pocket-sized escape.
Join us for a look at this garden that’s every bit as lush as it is compact.
Photography by Caitlin Atkinson, courtesy of Terremoto.
Above: The house, designed by Fredrik, is set on a petite lot. When Terremoto took on the project, David remembers, “Fredrik had designed the concrete aspects of the hardscape, and those were in place.” Fredrik had also designed the powder-coated wire-mesh fence: “It’s designed to allow vines to grab hold and take over with time while still preserving a visual connection to the street and into the property,” he explains. “The fence facing the two neighboring properties is cedar planks. It has the same materiality as the house but untreated, allowing it to weather over time.” Above: Tiered gravel steps lead to a small sitting area. “The planting plan is really a mix of native Southern California species and low-water regional species as well,” says David. “The garden is as much for local insects and wildlife as it is for the family.”
The depaving movement has become something of a national sport in the Netherlands, with municipalities competing to see who can remove the most paving from their town each year. Stateside the crusade to replace concrete and asphalt with permeable landscapes (ideally: gardens) may be slower to take hold, but it’s been around for nearly two decades, starting with Depave Portland in Oregon and spreading to communities across the country.
In Somerville, Massachusetts, Depave Somerville organizes “depaving parties” for homeowners. Landscape architect Sara Brunelle, one of the founders Lu La Studio, was selected for one of these volunteer-run events. So, one April day, an asphalt recycling dumpster and a crew of about 10 volunteers showed up to tear up the parking lot behind Brunelle’s house with crowbar and sledge hammers.
Brunelle and her business partner, landscape designer Katie Smith, had dreamed up a new permeable landscape for the yard, but they didn’t anticipate how gratifying the actual depaving would be. “It was truly joyful—like the best of a CrossFit gym and an awesome wild community,” says Brunelle. “It really was electric. Katie and I both have a background in urban gardening. This was an awesome moment of direct action.” It was also a little emotional: It began to rain right after the depaving was complete, and they realized the soil had not felt rain for at least 70 years. “That smell of rain on earth was so poignant,” Smith says. “That’s our responsibility as landscape architects to rehabilitate.”
Brunelle and Smith’s goal was to create a multi-functional, re-wilded garden for all the residents of the multi-family building. They managed to fit in an eating area, a play lawn, a permeable parking space, and a vegetable garden on the 30 feet by 40 feet lot.
Photography by Haley Dando, courtesy of Lu La Studio.
Before
Above: The gray-on-gray view of the parking lot from the street. Above: The yard behind Brunelle’s home was nothing but asphalt and a few conifers.
Even the smallest garden can become a family’s favourite outdoor retreat with thoughtful design and clever use of space. Whether it’s a place for children to play, adults to unwind, or everyone to share time together, compact gardens thrive when planned with flexibility and creativity in mind.
By combining smart zoning, multi-purpose furniture, and layered planting, families can make limited areas feel open, organised and full of life. With a few practical touches – from vertical planters to storage benches – small gardens can balance beauty, function, and fun, creating an inviting space that grows with the people who use it.
Smart design principles for family-friendly small gardens
Successful small gardens depend on clear zoning that balances everyone’s needs. Even limited spaces can include dining, play and relaxation areas, defined subtly by paving, low hedges or container groupings.
Climbing plants like jasmine or clematis make use of fences and walls, allowing the garden to support more plants without taking up additional room.
Families going through major life changes may benefit from neutral guidance when shared property, such as a garden, needs adjustment. Neutral advice from high value divorce lawyers in London can help families understand their options if a garden holds personal importance or requires practical adjustments for everyone’s benefit.
In a small garden it’s a good idea to choose furniture that serves more than one purpose. This could be benches with hidden storage, folding tables, or stackable chairs. Waterproof cubes and footstools can also provide sturdy seating while keeping toys and tools protected from the weather.
You can also use height and layered planting to make the garden feel bigger. Tall planters and trellises draw the eye upward, while smaller plants at the front of a border and taller ones behind add depth to compact gardens.
Child-friendly features that don’t dominate small spaces
Children need outdoor space to play, but bulky equipment can overwhelm small gardens. Compact alternatives include wall-mounted chalkboards, fold-away sandpits or small climbing frames that also support plants. A hammock that can be removed when not in use is another clever way to provide fun without permanent space commitment.
Nature discovery zones fascinate children without requiring much room. A small log pile can become a mini-beast hotel, while a shallow dish makes a perfect bird bath. Even a tiny pond in a container offers endless amusement – just make sure you always supervise children around water.
When it comes to child-friendly plants, varieties that provide a sensory experience work well. Lamb’s ears provide soft, strokeable leaves, while herbs like mint and lemon balm release scents when touched. Strawberries in hanging baskets are perfect for little hands to pick and eat.
Growing projects can teach children about food production even in the smallest spaces. A simple guide to starting a child-friendly garden provides practical ways to involve them in planting and observation. Potatoes can be grown in bags, while salad leaves and radishes will thrive in window boxes. Growing sunflowers in pots is another easy project that kids will love.
It’s important to pay attention to safety when designing a garden that will be used by children. This includes things like selecting non-thorny plants to prevent scratches, securing benches or cabinets with fixings to avoid tipping risks, and covering water features with mesh to protect little ones. Soft surfacing such as grass or bark chippings beneath swings and climbing frames offers a gentler landing, making it a practical choice for compact gardens where hard paving or concrete might otherwise lead to injuries.
Practical planting for limited garden footprints
Container gardening offers flexibility in a small garden. Lightweight pots and troughs can be rearranged for sunlight or play space, while varying heights will add depth and maximise your growing area.
Space-efficient edible plants can provide good yields from small areas. Runner beans grow upward on supports, while compact varieties of courgettes and tomatoes are often grown in containers. Herbs are also well-suited to small spaces and can add fresh flavours to family meals.
Low-maintenance plants such as lavender, geraniums, sedums and evergreen shrubs will add structure and colour year-round without frequent care, and This low-maintenance plants guide has lots of ideas for small gardens.
When it comes to privacy in a small garden, slim bamboo varieties can provide screening without spreading roots, while climbers on trellis panels create green walls. Pleached trees, trained to grow flat, offer height without taking up much width.
Rotating seasonal plantings is a clever way to maintain colour, productivity and interest in a small garden. For example, you can plant bulbs in pots for spring blooms, and top them with seasonal bedding plants for colour in winter, then follow on from the bulbs with summer bedding. Our guide to planting a bulb lasagne has a step-by-step guide to help you max out the display. Rotating plants this way helps pots and beds avoid looking tired or sparse between seasons.
Maximising outdoor living in compact gardens
Comfortable seating doesn’t have to dominate small gardens. Corner benches make the most of available seating while keeping the footprint small, and floor cushions can be stored away when not needed. A small bistro set will also provide dining space without overcrowding the garden.
Lighting makes it possible to use the garden during evenings, and small garden lighting ideas show how solar, string, and wall-mounted options can extend outdoor living without cluttering limited space.
Weather-proofing increases garden usability. A small retractable awning provides shade and shelter, while outdoor rugs make hard surfaces more comfortable all year round. Wind breaks made from planting or screens can help even small spaces stay pleasant on breezy days.
Maintaining order in a compact garden relies on storage ideas that save both floor space and time. For instance, storage benches with lift-up lids can double as seating while hiding toys or garden tools from view when not needed. Wall-mounted cabinets can be used to store smaller gardening essentials such as gloves and seed packets within easy reach without taking up floor space. Look out for vertical tool racks too, these help equipment stay tidy and accessible for quick gardening jobs or play sessions.
Vertical planting and height layering can make compact gardens feel more open and inviting. Making a step-by-step plan to define use zones, pick flexible furniture, rotate plants and install safe, accessible storage can help transform even the smallest urban patch into a shared outdoor space, supporting family time through every season. Even the smallest patch of green can nurture big memories.
At first glance, the Victorian terrace in Herne Hill looks like so many others on its South London street: stock brick, narrow footprint, and the familiar rhythm of windows and doors. Inside, however, O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects have reimagined the house as a sequence of framed views of the garden—an architecture of light and green. The new lower level pivots around a clerestory lantern and an interior courtyard, spaces that pull daylight deep into the plan and dissolve the boundary between indoors and out.
The garden, meanwhile, by designers Ann Ison and Colin Clark, is organized into three areas: a sunlit entrance of wild planting and shrubs, a central paved courtyard, and a shaded rear with mature trees beneath the Victorian arches.
Designed for a creative young family, the 680-square-foot garden is shaped around their brief: a refuge close to nature with interest across all seasons. Last summer, the family harvested vine tomatoes and herbs; over time, fruit trees and additional edible plantings will extend the garden’s role as both retreat and resource.
Join us for a tour, and be sure to scroll to the end for a comprehensive plant list.
Photography courtesy of O’Sullivan Skoufoglou.
Above: The view from the kitchen out onto the garden. Photograph by Ståle Eriksen. Above: “The planting was chosen to form an ensemble that offers both harmony and drama of contrast,” says architect Amalia Skoufoglou. Above: The garden looking back into the lower floor. Photograph by Ståle Eriksen.
This week, we’re revisiting some of our all-time favorite stories about gardening in New York City. Cultivating plants in the Big Apple comes with challenges—yards tend to be small and shady, and privacy is rare—but if you have the patience, these urban gardens can produce some big-time magic. Behold…
Courtyard gardens, enclosed on all sides by walls or fences, can transform a cramped space into an oasis. They preserve privacy while welcoming sunlight. And they can make even the smallest townhouse feel larger. We’ve collected 10 of our favorites from New York City, the unofficial epicenter for courtyard gardens.
Above: When garden designer Brook Klausing first saw his clients’ townhouse backyard in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood, it looked bleak: a chain-link fence, an old concrete patio, and a patch of hard-packed dirt. No more. Photograph courtesy of Brook Landscape, from Garden Designer Visit: Brook Klausing Elevates a Brooklyn Backyard.
Above: An airy hedge of bamboo provides screening at the garden’s perimeter while a pared-down palette of green and white focuses the eye on the center of the space. “The white limestone is like a canvas. When the sun is directly overhead, you can see the shadows of the bamboo and other plants starkly against it,” says designer Julie Farris. Photograph by Matthew Williams, from Before & After: From ‘Fishbowl’ Townhouse Garden to Private Oasis.
This week, we’re revisiting some of our all-time favorite stories about gardening in New York City. Cultivating plants in the Big Apple comes with challenges—yards tend to be small and shady, and privacy is rare—but if you have the patience, these urban gardens can produce some big-time magic. Behold…
Most renters, especially if they’re not planning a long stay, prefer not to spend too much time or money fixing up someone else’s property. But what if they still want a nice outdoor space? We asked Brooklyn-based garden designer Brook Klausing for recommendations for finessing a space that you don’t own. Not only has he done it for clients of his company, Brook Landscape, he also has plenty of personal experience, having fixed up several rental gardens for himself.
To start, Brook suggests, figure out what your goal is and how much time you’re willing to commit. Maybe you only have a year’s lease, and just want a weekend project. Or maybe you plan to be there a few years, and you’d love to spend the summer playing in the garden because you enjoy the process. Either way, don’t get overly enthusiastic and embark on something you won’t finish. Assess your own ambition and organize a project that’s right for you.
His other directive: Go big. “Don’t get distracted at the nursery and pick up a lot of random small things just because they’re cute,” he advises. Better to start with strong moves to organize the space.
Read on for 10 more rental garden tips from Brook:
Photography courtesy of Brook Klausing except where noted.
1. Accentuate the positive.
Above: Take note of what’s great about the space and find a way to accentuate it. With judicious editing, Brook created focal points in a backyard garden.
“If there’s a great view or a tree you’re really into (even if it’s in your neighbor’s yard), clear out any weeds or shrubs that are in the way and position your seating and enhancements to maximize the sight lines.” By the same token, identify what you don’t love in the space and remove or, if that’s not possible, downplay the distraction. (See below for suggestions on dealing with ugly walls and fences.)
2. Prune boldly.
Above: A smoke bush (at L) is a visual focal point in a backyard garden designed by Brook Landscapes.
This week, we’re revisiting some of our all-time favorite stories about gardening in New York City. Cultivating plants in the Big Apple comes with challenges—yards tend to be small and shady, and privacy is rare—but if you have the patience, these urban gardens can produce some big-time magic. Behold…
October…strawberries? That would have surprised me, too, before I grew them myself on a tiny terrace in New York City.
Several years ago I bought two strawberry plants at GRDN, a pretty garden shop in Brooklyn. The cultivar name was Fern, and, said the label, these were “everbearing” strawberries. That sounded good. Standard strawberries will bear fruit in early summer only. But as a gardener with space issues, I ask a lot from a single plant. More is more.
I had never grown strawberries before and it sounded hard. Talk of mounding, and rows, and straw, and runners, and renovating…? All I had was some small pots, a lot of sun, a small terrace, and the desire to grow my own. Turns out that’s all you need to enjoy fresh berries till hard frost.
I put the plants in full sun on my terrace edge, and a month later I was eating the first ripe fruit. Soon, the plants made new flowers, and about four weeks later, more strawberries. And so it went, till the pots froze and snow fell. And they returned in the spring, with no extra protection. They weren’t kidding about the everbearing.
Soon I was picking handfuls. And in high summer the plants sent out runners—long, tender feelers with a tuft of leaves at the tip, searching for new land to occupy. Wherever they touched down they set down roots. I dug them up and potted these offspring in even smaller 6-inch pots.
Within a year I had a small strawberry farm, blooming into November. Eventually the reproduction by runners got so out of hand that I was sending the extras to friends, by mail. The parent plants do get tired after a few years, but by then their offspring have risen to the challenge. Life lesson?
Read on for step-by-step instructions to make a strawberry shrub cocktail called the Ingrid Bergman:
Above: Is there a more appealing summer arrangement? Above: My 66-square-foot terrace. Above: Because of space constraints, I housed the strawberries in terra-cotta pots no more than 8 inches in diameter. Above: Sweet harvest. Above: The Fern strawberry plants bloomed into November. Above: When we moved from a sunny top floor in Brooklyn to a shadier parlor-level Harlem with just four hours of direct sun, Fern languished. I sent the sulking survivors to sunnier gardens. But the surprise performer was the other strawberry I had been growing all this time, an Alpine cultivar called Ruegen.
In this week’s installment of Quick Takes, we present a pair of Brooklyn academics with a flair for garden design, Corwin Green and Damon Arrington, partners in life and business. Corwin teaches communication design and social design at Pratt Institute, School of Visual Arts, and Parsons School of Design. Damon teaches landscape design at Cornell, New York Botanic Garden, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
The pair’s four-year-old firm, Verru Design, recently showed up on our radar when we spotted the naturalistic plantings they did for a charming townhouse garden (see Brooklyn Backyard Visit: A Fruitful Collab Between an Architect and Landscape Designers). Their M.O.: “We embed ourselves in communities, research their attributes and ecologies, and then actualize design projects.” The up-and-comers even have a podcast, Tree, Shrub, Flower, launched a few months ago, that spotlights the deep roots they have in their New York community. “Our guests are our friends and collaborators, who happen to have Tony Awards, and Emmys and are incredible creatives, whether it be a landscape expert or a leading actor on Broadway.”
Below, Corwin and Damon share the garden book they both assign to their students, the reason they like to plant when the moon is waxing, and more.
Photography courtesy of Verru Design.
Above: Damon and Corwin in their garden. Their next design? “We are working on a new project in New Canaan, CT, where we will be installing a pool. We’re excited to work on a larger scale—we could never fit a pool in our Brooklyn backyard projects!”
Your first garden memory:
Corwin: My first memory was in my grandma’s backyard in Waynesboro, Georgia. During summer visits, my siblings and I were tasked with picking figs from her trees, which she would use for desserts and preserves, and to instill a work ethic. As a kid, I didn’t like figs or the idea of working during often hot vacations. Even though I still haven’t developed a taste for them, I appreciate learning the practice of fruit picking.
Damon: I grew up on a dairy farm on southwest Virginia. My mother had greenhouses growing up and she kept my crib under the impatiens flats. My first memories of gardening were the smell of vermiculite and the sound of loud fans humming throughout the moisture-filled plastic rooms.
Garden-related book you return to time and again:
Planting in a Post-Wild World. We recommend it to students in our classes. It is the quintessential book for learning how to create ‘plant communities’. They teach you how to create landscapes that are layered.
Instagram account that inspires you:
Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design @mcldllc. His photos are always top-notch and the gardens he design are very much in our style of wild and lush, appropriately vegetated. He deals a lot with slopes, and we are currently working on a project where the client’s backyard has something like a 20 percent slope, so we’ve been watching how he crafts staircases and retaining walls into the landscapes.
Describe in three words your garden aesthetic.
To steal the words of Laura Fenton from her feature [on our project] in Gardenista last week…”low-key wild.”
Plant the makes you swoon:
Above: A cloud of blooming Calamintha nepeta on a patio lined with teak tiles.
Calamintha nepeta. The compact foliage looks good in containers and along pathways and produces a nice show into fall. It has a consistent presence in perennial gardens and a quiet charm that hits you with amazing aromas.
Plant that makes you want to run the other way:
Bamboo. We’ve had jobs where we had to extract bamboo from containers and the roots are really gnarly. We are literally scared of bamboo.
Favorite go-to plant:
Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). For unexpected texture, the staghorn sumac has always delighted our clients. And its fall color is absolutely stunning. The seed heads that form are striking in the winter, so its seasonal interest is abundant. Sometimes we choose plants specifically for their winter interest.
Hardest gardening lesson you’ve learned:
Sun conditions. Understanding your garden at both solstices is of crucial importance. In the northeast the summer solstice sun is at a 72-degree angle, the winter solstice is at a staggering 27-degree angle. Mapping this on-site analysis is the most important step in your initial steps. We recently did a pinup at NYBG where the students had to show us the extent of the summer/winter sun in plan view, an integral step for young designers to learn.
Gardening or design trend that needs to go:
Above: Verru designed the louvered fence made from locally sourced cedar in this Brooklyn backyard.
Post-renovation, the back yard was filled with debris, including shards of concrete. “Instead of dumping the stuff, we used what was there to create what I call an urban berm,” says Arrington. The berm was built on shards of concrete that were covered with a little landscape fabric, and topped with about two feet of soil, which was brought in for the entire yard. “When we pop elevations into a garden, the shadows change, the way we can see the plants inside changes. If you’re in the hot tub and you’re looking at a berm, it’s like the plants are surrounding you. That sense of privacy is something we wanted to create,” says Arrington.
3. Focus on local materials.
With the naturalistic aesthetic, hot tub, and gravel as their starting points, Arrington and Green leaned into local materials and native plants. Arrington notes that because the rock steps, pea gravel, and cedar are all locally sourced, they are more sustainable—and just feel right. “The colors are already a part of the landscape,” he says.
4. A small garden needs curves.
Sarah Jefferys Architecture Brooklyn Backyard
To create the wild, rambling feeling their clients desired, curves were essential, says Green. Using cedar shakes to edge the beds allowed them to perfect each swooping bed design. “The curves are informal, but still there is an art to creating and finessing them to feel natural, ” says Green, who describes how one of them would look down from the deck while the other placed the edging.
5. Rethink the privacy fence.
Not all fences are created equal. “The first day we stood back there, it was so hot and the air was really stagnant,” says Green of the existing fence. To get better air circulation in the garden, Arrington and Green proposed a louvered design. Crafted from rough cedar, it provides natural texture and will become grayer over time. Because privacy was still a concern, they designed the angle and span between louvers to be on the tighter side; relaxing the span would bring even more air in.
Caption: The bed at the base of the stairs is the sunniest spot in the garden, the amsonia turns golden yellow in fall. Photo courtesy of Verru Design.
6. Select a strong color theme.
A pale blush color theme holds the plant palette together in this garden. Designed to bloom throughout the year, Arrington and Green included Magnolia virginiana, which blooms a a silky white-almost blush color in spring; Geranium Biokovo, which is really light blush on the inside; and ‘Limelight’ hydrangea, which turns a twinge of blush at the end of the season.
Let us count the many reasons we love Butter Wakefield, the Maryland-born, London-based garden designer who has won numerous prestigious awards for her exuberant projects (twice at the Chelsea Flower Show!). 1) She has no fear of color (her home is as bright and joyful as her gardens). 2) No outdoor space is too tiny for her—in fact, small city backyards are her forte. 3) She designs gardens as one would design interiors, that is, with attention to texture, palette, balance, and comfort. 4) Then, of course, there’s that ridiculously charming name (a childhood moniker that has blessedly stuck). Is there any question we’d be fans?
Read on to learn the pros who inspire her (it’s a who’s who of British designers), the dreamy garden object on her wish list, and best of all, images of her own compact West London backyard. And if you find yourself wanting still more Butter in your life, be sure to sign up for her just-launched online course on “Small Garden Design” with the Create Academy.
My maternal grandfather had the most spectacular gardens in the gorgeous countryside outside of Philadelphia. They were gloriously flower-filled and curiously very English in style and design. I loved wandering around and through them as a girl, and loved the colour-rich tapestry he created.
Above: Don’t have space to plant a tree? Consider a potted tree.
Hardest gardening lesson you’ve learned:
Working for friends is often so much more difficult than one ever imagines.
Favorite gardening hack:
Plunging small pots in large buckets of water through out the summer, it’s the quickest best way to water them.
Favorite way to bring the outdoors in.
Above: Potted roses.
Growing a range of reliable cut flowers in pots is something I always try to include in every scheme. It’s a hugely joyful undertaking to step outside, cut flowers and bring fresh blooms indoors. It is certianly my favourite way to start the weekend.
If you’re keen to make your garden look good in winter months, one of the simplest ways to do it is to plant up some winter hanging baskets and pots. This guide to the best plants for winter hanging baskets has a great range of plants to help you create a lovely winter display.
What plants are best for hanging baskets in winter?
In this post you’ll find lots of plants for winter hanging baskets that will provide you with flowers or beautiful foliage throughout winter. I’ve also included planting and care tips to help you get the best show from your winter hanging basket plants, plus some suggestions for great plant combinations. Hanging baskets can look great in old properties or can brighten up new homes.
Why you should grow winter hanging baskets
We might be using our gardens less at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean we have to ignore them completely. Growing plants in containers and outdoor hanging baskets is a simple way to keep your winter garden looking good, without having to spend lots of time out there.
As well as being low maintenance and ideal for beginner gardeners, winter hanging baskets are perfect if your outdoor space is limited. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can use hanging baskets to green up your doorway, patio or balcony. In a small garden, hanging baskets can significantly increase the amount of planting space you can access, allowing you to create a bigger display of plants without taking up any room at ground level.
Container gardening is relatively low cost too. You can even create your own hanging baskets by upcycling household objects. Old colanders work brilliantly, or you could add some drainage holes to the bottom of an old watering can.
A winter hanging basket is also great way to garden for wildlife. Adding winter hanging baskets to your garden will help you to carry on supporting your local species, providing a source of food and shelter for all manner of creatures at this tough time of year.
And of course, gardening on a small scale is perfect when it comes to gardening for kids. Their little hands can cope really well with hanging baskets – in fact in my experience, they’re actually better at planting them than the grown-ups!
Can hanging baskets survive winter?
Don’t assume that outdoor hanging baskets are only for the warmer months of the year.
While lots of hanging basket plants will struggle in cold weather, there are plenty of fantastic winter plants for hanging baskets to choose for colder months.
Just make sure you go for varieties that can cope with cold weather – these are usually referred to as ‘hardy’ plants. If you choose winter hardy container plants, you’re well on the way towards creating a winter hanging basket that looks great and is easy to take care of.
When should I plant a winter hanging basket?
The ideal time to plant a winter hanging basket is late autumn. Doing it at this point in the year will allow the plants to get established before winter arrives, and it will also mean they are ready to take over from your autumn plants at just the right time.
Having said that, don’t worry if it’s already winter and you haven’t done any planting. It’s fine to plant up winter hanging baskets at any point in winter, and also in early spring. Do bear in mind that the later you plant, the later your basket will be putting on a show.
A clever trick for hanging basket plants
When you choose your plants, remember this clever rule: Thriller, Filler, Spiller. This is a great way to create wow factor in hanging pots.
The Thriller plant is the star of the show, and is usually taller or bigger than the other plants. It works well to position it in the middle of the basket.
Filler plants fill up your container, providing a splash of colour and interest at a lower height than the Thriller plants.
Spiller plants are the trailing plants for hanging baskets. They spill over the sides, and soften the edges. Spiller plants are also brilliant for creating a bigger display and balancing out the height of the other plants in the basket.
How many plants should go in a hanging basket?
The number of plants you use in your hanging basket will be determined by the size of the basket itself. Bear in mind that each plant will place a demand on the compost, and if you really cram them in your plants won’t do as well. Also, each plant will grow – so make sure you leave a bit of space around each one.
The best plants for winter hanging baskets
Are you ready to get cracking with your plants for winter hanging baskets? Read on for my top picks for winter plants that will create a show stopping display in hanging baskets.
What can I put in my hanging baskets now?
This list includes winter flowers for hanging baskets, bulbs that are perfect for hanging baskets, foliage plants for winter baskets, and evergreen plants that will work brilliantly too. You’ll be spoilt for choice!
Flowering hanging basket plants for winter
There are lots of lovely winter flowering plants for hanging baskets. Here’s my selection of the best flowers for hanging baskets in winter.
Winter Pansies & Violas
If you’re looking for a cheery winter hanging basket plant, you can’t go wrong with pansies and violas. Garden centres and supermarkets are full of them, and there’s a good range of colours to choose from. Winter-flowering pansies and winter violas are usually very reasonably priced too, which makes them a great option for bulking out your hanging baskets.
Hardy Cyclamen
With their delicate and distinctive flowers, *cyclamen plants are a popular choice when it come to easy outdoor potted plants for winter.
Are cyclamen good for hanging baskets?
If you’re growing Cyclamen as outdoor plants in winter, it’s important to choose a hardy variety like Cyclamen coum or Cyclamen hederifolium. Some varieties can only be grown indoors at this time of year. If the plants are on display outside the shop, you’re probably on the right track.
Heather
I love growing heathers in winter hanging pots. Their upright shape is brilliant for adding height and structure to the arrangement, and the flower spikes bring lots of texture. Winter-flowering heathers such as Erica carnea also provide a good source of pollen and nectar, so they’re great for local wildlife too.
Bear in mind that heathers thrive in acidic soil, so you should ideally grow them in *ericaceous compost.
Primroses
Another candidate for low maintenance outdoor hanging plants for winter, primroses really deliver on colour and will make a bold statement in a winter hanging basket. The bright colours always go down a treat if you’re gardening with kids too.
If you’d prefer a more subtle effect, go for multiple primrose plants in the same colour to complement your other winter flowers.
Hellebores
We tend to think of hellebores as garden border plants, but they can also be planted in containers and larger hanging baskets. The flowers on hellebores naturally face downwards, so growing them in a basket at eye level is a lovely way to make the most of the blooms.
When it’s time to refresh your hanging basket, you can move your hellebore to a garden border. These perennial plants like partial shade, and look fantastic alongside woodland plants and bulbs.
Winter flowering bulbs for hanging baskets
Including some flower bulbs is a brilliant way to create a long-lasting display of hanging basket flowers. You can plant on top of them, which means you get a bigger impact without increasing the size of your basket. Bulbs are a pretty low-cost way to grow flowers too, so they’re ideal if you’re gardening on a budget.
These bulbs are all well-suited to growing as winter basket plants.
Snowdrops
A classic for a winter display, snowdrops will flower towards the end of winter and give your hanging basket a new lease of life. If you’re planting your basket in autumn you can use *snowdrop bulbs, but if you’re planting in winter it’s better to use snowdrop plants that have already started to grow.
Crocus
Another great candidate for even the smallest of hanging baskets. *Crocus bulbs are compact, so you can pack lots of them in, and the flowers are dainty too. Do spend some time checking out the range of varieties available; there are lots of different colours and heights to choose from, so it’s easy to find one that works well with your other plants.
Hyacinths
Pop a couple of *hyacinth bulbs in the bottom of your hanging basket, and in late winter you’ll have a gorgeous show of upright flowers. Hyacinths are heavily scented too, so every time you walk past your hanging basket you’ll be able to enjoy their fragrance – it’s definitely worth including them if your basket is next to the front door.
Always wear gloves when handling hyacinth bulbs, as they can irritate the skin.
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
These miniature daffodils are perfect for hanging baskets. Their cheery, bright yellow blooms give a little taste of the spring to come when the rest of the garden hasn’t really got going.
You can ‘force’ dwarf narcissus bulbs to flower early indoors, so if you’ve got a few bulbs left over it’s worth potting them up for some indoor colour. My post on forcing bulbs shows you how to do it.
Iris reticulata
Another favourite of mine. Miniature iris bulbs are fantastic plants for winter pots and hanging baskets; I like to combine them with white flowers for a cool, modern look. Like dwarf narcissus, you can also force these bulbs for indoor blooms in winter.
Foliage plants: winter hanging basket ideas
A winter hanging basket definitely isn’t just about the flowers. Foliage plants play a key role in providing interest, texture and structure for your vibrant display.
Here are some suggestions for winter foliage plants that are perfect in hanging baskets.
Carex
Also known as ornamental sedge, Carex plants are ideal ornamental grasses for winter planters. They’re available in a range of colours, and work well in modern baskets. Use one as the centrepiece in your basket, and surround it with flowering and trailing plants for maximum impact.
Heuchera
If you’re looking for a foliage plant that makes an impact, go for a heuchera.
Their stunning leaves are gorgeous in their own right, but they also provide a fantastic backdrop for your flowering plants. You can buy *heucheras in a range of colours, including greens, golds, oranges and deep reds, so there’s bound to be one that’s perfect for your display.
Ornamental cabbage
Not to be confused with their edible relatives, ornamental cabbages are all about the looks. I think they work particularly well in a contemporary hanging basket, where they will add a quirky edge to the overall effect.
Hebe
Hebes are flowering plants, but in winter it’s the foliage we’re interested in. You need to choose a compact, hardy variety for a winter hanging basket; ‘Red Edge’ and ‘Sutherlandii’ are both good options.
Cineraria
When it comes to container gardening, I think of cineraria as the foliage equivalent of pansies and violas. It’s super-tough, widely available, and ideal for bulking out your hanging planters. The beautiful silver-white foliage gives a lovely depth and texture, and works well with darker-leaved plants such as cyclamen.
Calocephalus
If you love your silvery tones, calocephalus is another good choice. The stems are more delicate than cineraria, but it’s still pretty tough. I like to contrast it with deep purple winter flowers and foliage for stylish wow factor.
Evergreen winter plants for hanging baskets
You can use evergreen winter hanging basket plants as an easy way to keep things looking good for months. An evergreen will give you a starting point upon which to build your planting, and can work well as a backdrop to other plants or as a showstopper in it’s own right.
Evergreen varieties of fern are a brilliant choice for winter hanging plants. Their lacy leaves can spill over the sides of the basket, but will also grow upwards to add height and structure, and the strong green will provide a solid backdrop for flowering plants.
Good varieties of fern for a winter hanging basket include Hart’s Tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium), Soft Shield fern (Polystichum setiferum), and the beautiful frosted variety of Painted Lady fern (Athyrium niponicum f. metallicum).
Hardy sedums
If you love growing succulents, a hardy sedum is well-suited to a winter container. These hardy perennials are low-growing, so they will provide winter interest and foliage low down in your arrangement. Good hanging basket sedum varieties include ‘Redhead’, ‘Moss sedum’ and ‘Bluebubbles’.
Ajuga
Ajuga plants are used for ground cover in the garden, as they like to creep over the soil. This makes them useful for adding greenery to the surface of hanging baskets. They’re tough little plants, they cope well with being restricted in a container, and there’s a good range of foliage colours to choose from.
Skimmia japonica
Japanese Skimmia is a glossy evergreen with bright winter berries, so it will definitely pack a punch in a winter hanging basket. Go for a compact variety such as ‘Rubella’.
Wintergreen
This is a good alternative to skimmia if you’re planting a smaller hanging basket. Wintergreen (which is also known as Gaultheria procumbens or checkerberry) is a dwarf, low-growing evergreen with scarlet berries. As such it’s a great choice for Christmas hanging baskets.
The best evergreen trailing plants for winter hanging baskets
Trailing plants are an important part of a hanging basket display. Use them to hide a less-than-lovely container, provide foliage interest, and increase the impact of your plants. Here are my toptrailing plants for hanging baskets in winter.
English Ivy
You can’t have a winter container plants display without considering ivy. The fact that it trails makes it a perfect plant for hanging baskets in winter.
Variegated varieties of ivy look lovely with cyclamen plants, and varieties with all-green leaves work well with bright flowers. Ivy is also a really good source of food and shelter for a wide range of garden wildlife.
Vinca
Vinca is a vigorous scrambler, but if you plant it in a hanging basket you can keep it under control. It will cover the surface of the compost with glossy green leaves, and eventually trail over the sides too.
Hardy sedums
We’ve already talked about using hardy sedums in your winter containers, and there are some great trailing varieties too. ‘Greenhead’ and ‘Blue Spruce’ will happily ramble over the sides of a hanging basket.
Basic tools for planting hanging baskets
You don’t need much in the way of tools to grow plants in containers and hanging baskets for winter, but it’s worth getting hold of a few basics. Having these to hand will make it easier and quicker to plant and take care of your container.
A good *hand trowel is essential for adding compost to your hanging basket, and filling in around your plants. Make sure it’s a size that works well with your container; if your hanging baskets are small you might want to consider child-sized tools.
To protect your hands while gardening, you will need some *gardening gloves. The type you go for is very much a matter of personal preference, but do make sure that you can move your hands freely while wearing them.
I would also recommend a pair of *secateurs or *snips to help you keep your plants looking good. Snips work really well in small spaces, so they’re particularly handy for hanging baskets.
And of course, getting hold of a *watering can is definitely a good idea! I like to use a *mini watering can on hanging baskets; it’s easier to lift up high, and doesn’t flood them with water too quickly.
Choosing hanging baskets for winter flowering plants
When it comes to the actual hanging basket, you’ve got lots of options. Whatever you go for, make sure you consider these key features.
You hanging basket must have drainage holes, so that your plants don’t end up sitting in a puddle of water. If it has a plastic liner of some sort, you will need to make some holes in this to allow water to drain away.
If you go for a wire-style *metal hanging basket, you will also need to buy a liner. These are usually made of coir or card, check the size carefully so you can create a neat finish.
Make sure your hanging basket has a good, sturdy hanging hook, and is strong enough to hold everything. You might be surprised how heavy a basket can get once it’s full of compost and plants.
Choose a basket that is the right size for the number of plants you’d like to grow. Think about how big the plants will end up, not just how big they are when you first plant them!
What is the best compost for hanging baskets?
When you grow plants in container and hanging baskets, it’s really important to use the best compost for pots.
A plant grown in a pot or basket will eventually use up all the nutrients in the compost. And because we tend to pack plants into hanging baskets, that can happen pretty quickly.
To give your plants the best chance of thriving, go for a good quality *peat-free compost. General purpose compost is fine for most plants that are grown in pots and baskets, but some plants do better in a more specific type of compost. The plant label will have this information, so give it a quick read before finalising your selection.
You can also buy compost that is specifically designed for winter plants in pots and hanging baskets. This usually contains slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals to help container plants stay healthy. It’s perfect if you’re a bit unsure when it comes to plant care, or just don’t have lots of time for gardening.
So you’ve bought your plants, found the perfect hanging container, and are tooled up and ready to go. Here’s how to make a winter hanging basket.
If you’re planting a wire hanging basket, put your liner in first. Trim it to size if necessary.
If your hanging basket has a plastic liner, use a pair of scissors or a knife to poke some drainage holes in the plastic.
Lots of hanging baskets have curved bases, and this can make it tricky to keep them steady while adding your plants. To make things easier and stop it rolling around, you can put your hanging basket on an empty plant pot.
If you’re adding water-retaining granules or slow-release fertiliser to your compost, mix it in before filling your basket.
If you’re planting bulbs in your hanging basket, put a shallow layer of compost in the base, then place your bulbs on the surface.
Add compost to your container, until it’s almost full.
Take each plant out of its pot by sliding your fingers around the plant’s base, tipping the whole thing over, and removing the pot with your other hand.
Arrange your plants in the basket. Start with a central plant that will give the display structure, then add more plants around it. You can move them around until you’ve got a good combination – just remember to put any trailing plants close to the edge so they can cascade over.
Once your layout is looking good, add in some more compost to fill in any gaps around your plants.
Water your winter hanging basket thoroughly, then it’s ready to hang up!
How do you make a hanging basket look fuller?
One of the key elements to making a hanging basket look fuller is patience. You need to give those plants some time to grow and fill out!
You can also make sure you feed and water your plants regularly. This will help them to grow well and produce lots of flowers.
Another clever trick for making wire hanging baskets look fuller is to add plants around the sides as well as on the top of the compost. To do this, you simply make a small hole in the liner, then pop your plant in.
And of course, tucking a few spring bulbs into the pot before adding your plants will also help to create a gorgeous, long-lasting show of winter flowers.
Care tips for winter hanging baskets
Once you’ve planted your winter hanging basket, the vast majority of the hard work is done. However, there are a few things you need to stay on top of if you want your plants to do well.
Right plant, right place
Putting your hanging baskets in the right position for the plants inside them is probably the most important thing you can do to keep them happy. In the gardening world this is usually referred to as ‘right plant, right place’.
Put simply, growing a plant in a place that provides the conditions it likes will help it to grow strong, be less vulnerable to pests, and in need of less maintenance.
All plants have a set of conditions that they prefer to grow in. For example, it could be full sun, partial shade, or full shade, somewhere that is really sheltered, a place with good drainage, or soggy soil. Provide your plants with their favourite conditions, and they will be happy. Do the opposite, and they will struggle.
Take a look at the care label on your plants, this usually has information on the best conditions for them. You can also find this information from an online search or a plant identification app.
Once you know what conditions your plants like, you can find the best place to put your hanging basket. The other way to get it right is to work out where you want to put your hanging basket, then buy plants that like the conditions provided in that location.
Feeding winter hanging basket plants
Nutrients are limited in a hanging basket or a container, because there’s a finite amount of compost in there. As a result, plants will eventually use up all the nutrients, and once that happens they will struggle to thrive.
To prevent this becoming an issue, you should feed your winter hanging basket plants regularly with general-purpose plant food.
You’ve got a few options when it comes to the format of your plant food. A *concentrated liquid feed has to be diluted before use, or you could go for a *ready-to-pour liquid feed that you simply add to your container. You can also buy plant food in *granule form, this needs to be added to the compost before planting. Ready-to-pour feed is the easiest and lowest-effort option, but it’s not the cheapest.
If you’re keen to keep costs down, or you want to garden sustainably, you can make your own plant food from comfrey or nettle leaves. There’s a good guide to doing this here:
Watering winter hanging baskets
Generally, plants that are grown in pots or hanging baskets will dry out more quickly than plants that are grown in the ground. The compost can only retain so much water, and evaporation can be quicker because the sides of the container are exposed to warmer temperatures.
Both of these causes of dry containers are less of an issue in winter, but you still need to check your hanging baskets regularly. If the surface of the soil feels dry, you probably need to water your plants.
When watering a hanging basket, try to add the water as gradually as possible. This will reduce the amount of water that simply pours out of the bottom, and help to saturate the soil more effectively.
You could also try putting a plant saucer in the bottom of the basket before planting. This will create a small reservoir and help to stop water leaking out of the bottom.
How to keep winter hanging baskets looking good
Having put all that time and effort into creating your hanging baskets for winter, you no doubt want to keep them flowering for as long as possible. Deadheading is a great way to do this.
To deadhead a plant, you need to remove any dead or drooping flowers, plus seed heads that have formed. This will stop the plant setting seed, and stimulate it to produce more flowers instead.
Deadheading is one of those quick gardening jobs that you can tackle in a couple of minutes. Simply pinch off the flower heads with your fingers, or use *snips to remove them. It’s well worth getting into the habit of doing this on a regular basis; as well as helping to boost the number of flowers, it will also keep your hanging baskets looking smart.
Do I need to protect winter hanging basket plants?
If you choose hardy plants for pots and hanging baskets, you shouldn’t need to protect them from cold weather.
Good drainage is important for container plants in winter, as most plants really hate having their roots in cold or frozen water. This isn’t a major problem for hanging baskets, as being off the ground allows excess water to drain away easily.
Do keep an eye on your hanging baskets if the weather is very windy. You might need to temporarily move them to prevent them from being swung around and generally battered!
If you have any tender plants in hanging baskets, it’s worth moving them to a sheltered spot in winter. Take a look at my post on protecting plants from frost and cold weather for tips on how to look after your tender plants.
And there you have it: a comprehensive guide to the best plants for hanging baskets in winter, and how to look after them. I hope you have fun creating some amazing winter displays!
More container gardening resources
I’ve got lots of other great container gardening ideas and tips here on the blog.
Would you like to perk up your garden this winter? This guide to the best winter plants for pots has lots of gorgeous plant suggestions to inspire you.
What are the best plants for winter pots?
This post covers twenty five plants for winter pots that will give you a fabulous floral display or provide foliage and interest throughout the coldest months. There are also lots of tips on planting and caring for your winter containers so they really put on a show for you, plus a guide to the best tools for container gardening to help you get organised.
Why you should grow plants in pots in winter
Winter is a time of year when we tend to use our gardens less. The days are shorter, winter weather can be uninviting, and lots of plants shut down until spring arrives again.
Having said that, we’re all much more used to using our outdoor spaces regardless of the weather these days. As a result, you’re probably keener than ever to give your garden year-round interest. Your garden can make up a significant proportion of your home’s available space; when you think about it from this angle, it makes no sense to stop using it just because the season has changed!
If your winter garden is in need of a lift, growing winter flowering plants in pots is a simple and relatively low-cost way to create colour and interest. Growing plants in containers has many other benefits too.
Benefits of growing winter flowering plants in pots
For starters, gardening in containers can be very low maintenance. Looking after a plant in a pot is quicker and easier than dealing with an entire border. This is a particularly useful aspect of container gardening in winter, when you might prefer not to linger outdoors. If you’re short on time, focusing your efforts on container plants can allow you to quickly create a beautiful display that doesn’t take hours to look after.
If you don’t have much gardening experience, starting as a container gardener is an ideal way to ease yourself in. Growing plants in pots allows you to work on a small scale, then move onto bigger displays as you gain confidence and learn more.
That small scale gardening is also perfect if you don’t have much outdoor space. You can use pots and hanging baskets to create wow factor in the tiniest of spaces. You don’t even need a garden. You can squeeze a pot onto a window ledge, balcony, or doorway, and use hanging pots or stacking planters to create a vertical display.
When it comes to beginner gardening for kids, containers are ideal here too. Again, the smaller scale makes things easier, and it’s fun to give them their very own pot to look after. The container itself has lots of potential for nature play as well. Kids can personalise it with paints or chalk, make their own plant markers, or upcycle household objects to create unique decorations.
Another big plus for gardening in pots is their portability. If your plants aren’t thriving or you’d like to rearrange your display, you can easily move containers around. And if you rent your property or are planning on moving, you can take them with you!
Where should I put my winter containers?
You might be wondering whether it’s OK to grow plants in containers in winter when temperatures can get pretty low. The key to creating a beautiful winter container display is to choose hardy outdoor plants for pots, and get the location right for those specific plants. This last element is often referred to as ‘right plant, right place’.
The concept of ‘right plant, right place’ is very simple. If you embrace it, you stand a better chance of growing happy, healthy plants. The knock-on effect of this is a gorgeous garden that you can enjoy at any time of year.
All plants have specific conditions that they will grow well in. This is true whether you grow them in the ground, or in a pot. If you put your winter container somewhere that provides the ideal conditions for the plants, you take a big step towards making sure those plants thrive.
Conversely, if you put your winter plants in a spot that provides conditions they don’t like, you will limit their ability to do well.
Some plants enjoy full sun, some prefer full shade, and some are happy with partial shade. Your plants might prefer a sheltered spot, or be fine with weathering the elements. You may need to provide soil with good drainage, or water frequently. All of these things will vary according to the type of plant you’re growing.
To work out the ideal conditions for a particular plant, start by checking the care label. If there isn’t one, or it doesn’t have much information on it, you can use a plant identification app or look it up online.
Once you know how to make your plant happy, you’re ready to work out the perfect spot in the garden for your winter container.
Annual vs. perennial plants
Before you buy any outdoor plants for pots, it’s worth understanding the difference between annual vs. perennial plants.
Annual plants will grow, flower and die in one growing season (or year). This means you have to replace them regularly.
Perennial plants continue to grow year on year, so you won’t need to replace them very often. Some varieties of perennial plant die back in winter and have a dormant phase before emerging again in spring, while others are hardy evergreen perennials.
It’s absolutely fine to grow annual and perennial plants in pots. You can also combine the two in the same pot.
Most plants sold for container planting are annual plants. You will probably see them referred to as ‘bedding plants’ in garden centres and online. As you can imagine, relying on annual plants for your containers can quickly work out more expensive than using perennials.
A good approach is to go for a combination of annual and perennial plants in your containers. This allows you to keep costs down, but still refresh your display of outdoor plants in pots with seasonal plants.
When should I plant winter bedding plants?
The best time to plant winter bedding plants is late autumn and early winter. Planting containers at this point will give your plants time to become established, and give a natural progression from your late summer and early autumn flowering plants.
If you’re reading this later in winter, don’t worry. You can plant winter bedding plants throughout the winter months, and into early spring too. Obviously the later you plant, the longer it will take your plants to grow bigger and get established.
The best winter plants for pots and hanging baskets
Ready to get started on your winter flower pots? Here are some fantastic winter plants for containers and hanging baskets that will help you create a show-stopping display.
There are sections for flowering plants, bulbs, foliage plants and shrubs for pots, with twenty five gorgeous varieties to inspire you.
Flowering winter plants for pots
When it comes to winter flowering plants for pots, there are a lot of great options to choose from. Here are some perfect flowering plants to grow in winter containers and winter hanging baskets.
Winter flowering Pansies & Violas
You can’t have a list of favourite winter plants for outdoor pots without pansies and violas! They’re inexpensive, and readily available in a wide range of colours. These tough little plants are a great option for bulking out your displays and adding a shot of cheery colour right through winter. Deadhead them regularly for best results (scroll down to find out how to do this).
Cyclamen
Another must-have for a winter pot, hardy cyclamen will cope admirably with winter conditions and bloom from autumn right through to spring. Some cyclamen varieties need to be grown indoors, so make sure you go for Cyclamen hederifolium or Cyclamen coum for your outdoor pots.
When you decide to refresh your containers, you can transfer your cyclamen plants to a shady spot in the garden. They look particularly good alongside ferns and other woodland plants.
Primroses
If you’re wondering ‘What can I plant now for winter colour?’, then primroses could be the plant for you.
Pay a visit to any garden centre in winter, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a big display of primroses. They’re often available in strong colours, so if you like the idea of a powerful display they make a good, low-cost filler for your pots. If you’re gardening with kids, those bright colours are always a big hit too.
Heather
Heather plants will give your winter pots lots of texture. Choose from a subtle white or cream variety, or go for a big hit of colour with shades of pink and purple. Winter heather is a good choice if you want to garden for wildlife too, and will provide a source of nectar and pollen for pollinating insects at a time of year when other plants haven’t really got going. As such, it’s a fantastic plant for a bee friendly garden.
Heathers prefer to grow in acidic soil, so to give them the best conditions you should aim to plant them in *ericaceous compost.
Ornamental kale & ornamental cabbage
Ornamental kale and ornamental cabbages may look similar to their edible cousins, but they don’t taste great! They do however look wonderful when combined with other winter plants. Use them to add a modern, unusual twist to a pot display.
Bulbs for winter pots
If you’re looking to plant a winter container that’s thrifty and low-effort, but that also looks amazing, you should definitely include some flower bulbs.
Lots of flowering bulbs really put on a show in spring, but some varieties get going in late winter. These early bloomers are a fantastic way to keep your containers looking good until the spring flowers take over.
If you’re not very confident about growing bulbs, I’ve got a whole blog post on planting bulbs that will help you get it right.
Here are some suggestions for ideal bulbs to grow with winter plants in pots.
Iris reticulata
These compact varieties of Iris are one of the first bulbs to flower in late winter, making them a fantastic choice if you’d like to keep your winter planters going right into spring. Popular varieties include Pauline, Harmony and Frozen Planet (icy white).
Irises look gorgeous planted on their own in a pot, or you can mix them in with winter bedding plants to create extra impact. You can also ‘force’ iris bulbs to flower early indoors; my post on forcing bulbs indoors shows you how to do it.
Winter Aconites
Another great bulb for a winter display, *winter aconites will create a cheery clump of sunny yellow winter flowers for pots. Pollinating insects love them too.
Crocus
Early flowering and really low maintenance plants, crocus are a great option for winter potted plants. You’re spoilt for choice with varieties; there are shades of purple, cream, yellow and white, plus a range of heights to suit your pot.
*Crocus bulbs work well in a bulb lasagne too, this is a clever way to layer up bulbs in a pot and top them with bedding plants to create a display that lasts beyond the end of the season. My post on planting a bulb lasagne shows you how to do it.
Snowdrops
Snowdrops are often the first flowers we see in the garden towards the end of winter, and as such they can bring a taste of the spring to come when you plant them in winter pots.
*Snowdrop bulbs are usually planted in autumn, but you can also buy them as plants in late winter. This is often called buying them ‘in the green’.
Hyacinths
Hyacinths really deliver on flowers and fragrance, making them a great addition to a winter flowering container.
Like irises, you can ‘force’ *hyacinths for early indoor blooms. However you plant them, make sure you wear gloves while handling the bulbs, as they can cause skin irritation.
Winter foliage plants for pots
Foliage plants are an important part of a winter container display. They can provide texture, height and structure to your arrangement, and if you choose the right plants they can be a showstopper in their own right too.
Here are my favourite foliage plants for winter pots.
Heuchera
Heucheras (also known as coral bells) are fantastic foliage plants for a winter container garden. They flower in the summer, but it’s their leaves that we’re really interested in for winter.
You can get hold of *heuchera plants in a range of colours, which makes it easy to complement your planting scheme with these foliage stunners.
Ivy
If you’re looking for trailing winter plants for pots, ivy is a great choice. Ivys are great plants for hanging pots too.
Ivy can be a bit of a thug in the garden, crowding out other plants and generally taking over. Growing it in a container avoids all of this, allowing you to enjoy it’s beautiful leaves without the hassle. Ivy is a fabulous winter source of food and shelter for pollinating insects and local wildlife too.
The trailing habit of ivy is particularly useful for softening the edges of a container or hanging basket. It’s also a clever way to create a bigger container display from the same size of pot.
Cineraria
This is one of my favourite foliage plant for pots outdoors – my garden is full of it! Cineraria has silver-white foliage with a soft tactile surface, and it provides a beautiful textured backdrop for your winter-flowering plants. In my experience it’s a tough little plant too, so if you trim it back regularly you might find that it’s an element of your containers that you don’t need to replace.
Calocephalus
I love using this foliage plant in containers too. It’s super-tough, but the silvery stems look delicate and frothy; it always makes me think of coral. A great plant for contrasting with deep purple flowers or foliage.
Festuca glauca
An ornamental grass is an excellent choice for a pot display, and if you choose an evergreen variety you can enjoy it as part of your winter planters.
*Festuca glauca has slim, blue-green blades and forms a neat, compact dome of foliage. I think it works particularly well in contemporary container planters.
Phormium
This upright grass is ideal for giving a pot structure and height. There’s a range of colours to choose from, including varieties that incorporate yellows, pinks, and deep burgundy.
While *Phormiums are pretty tough plants, it’s a good idea to grow them in a sheltered spot in winter.
Winter flowering shrubs for containers
Don’t ignore shrubs when it comes to your pots. There are lots of lovely compact varieties that will provide you with flowers, structure or interest in winter. Here are some great varieties to try.
Skimmia japonica
This one isn’t strictly a flowering plant, but the berries more than make up for that. With its glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, Japanese skimmia is a brilliant plant to liven up a winter pot.
To guarantee those lovely berries, you need to buy a female plant (such as ‘Nymans’, ‘Temptation’ or ‘Kew White’), and also have a male plant (such as ‘Rubella’ or ‘Kew Green’) nearby.
Wintergreen
If you need a smaller berried plant, *Wintergreen (also known as partridge berry, checkerberry and Gaultheria procumbens) is perfect. It’s dainty and low-growing, and will give your pots a festive feel.
Hellebore
Another perfect candidate for low maintenance outdoor potted plants in winter. This lovely perennial plant will flower from midwinter onwards, providing delicate but impressive blooms at a time when most other plants are still dormant.
*Hellebores are available in shades of white, pink, purple and even apricot, and are perfectly capable of dealing with a cold season, frost, and snowy conditions. Combine them with other plants, or stick to a hellebore-only container for a simple but stunning effect.
Winter clematis will benefit from some shelter. Try to grow them close to the house or against a house wall, where they will enjoy the slightly warmer temperatures.
Winter flowering honeysuckle
Winter honeysuckles are another option for climbing plants for pots. Lonicera fragrantissima or Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ both have creamy white flowers and that incredible honeysuckle fragrance.
To get the best out of climbing shrubs for pots, make sure the container has access to an *obelisk, trellis or other type of plant support.
Camellia
Camellias make fantastic low maintenance evergreen plants for pots. You can choose from shades of red, white, pink and cream, all with shiny green leaves and stunning flowers.
You need to grow camellias in acidic soil, so go for *ericaceous compost to keep them happy. If you can use rainwater to water them, they will be even more content. Camellias also enjoy a more sheltered location; an easy way to provide this is to position them near the house.
Photinia ‘Little Red Robin’
If you’re planting a large winter container, this evergreen shrub will make a great addition. It will put on a show with bright red leaves that change to deep green as they mature. In spring you get white flowers too.
Sweet box
Another good option for large containers, *sweet box (Sarcococca confusa) has dense evergreen foliage and produces an abundance of delicate white flowers from midwinter onwards. The flowers are highly fragranced too, so make sure you position it somewhere that you walk past regularly to make the most of the gorgeous scent.
Daphne Odora ‘Aureomarginata’
Still on the fragrant flowers theme, the flowers on *Daphne Odora ‘Aureomarginata’ are pale pink and deliver a huge hit of fragrance. It needs a larger container as it can reach heights of 1.5 metres, but it will definitely earn its space.
Should I repot my plants after buying?
Unless you’re buying a ready-made container display, you should always repot your plants after you’ve bought them.
The plants will most likely have reached the limits of their pots, and will benefit from a bigger container and access to more compost.
Take the pot off the plant, and you’ll probably see that the roots are filling up the space. If the roots have grown out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, this is another sign that the plant is ready to move on!
When it comes to tools, gardening in containers is pretty low-tech. However, there are some basic tools that you should consider getting hold of to make things easier and help your plants do well.
A *hand trowelwill come in handy for planting, re-potting and weeding.
If you’d prefer to protect your hands, *gardening gloves are a must. There are lots of different sizes and materials out there, but for me the most important thing is to find a pair that allows your hands to move well while you’re wearing them.
A pair of *secateurs are ideal for pruning your plants and removing dead flower heads. If you’ve chosen smaller plants for small pots you might prefer a pair of *snips – these are fantastic for deadheading too.
And finally, a *watering can is pretty essential. Go for one that has a ‘rose’ head attachment, this will prevent you accidentally flooding your pots. A *mini watering can is a good option for smaller containers – and you can use it on your houseplants as well.
Don’t forget your pots and hanging baskets too!
Choosing containers for hardy outdoor potted plants
When you’re choosing your pots, stick to these two rules.
Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom. If you’ve fallen in love with a pot that doesn’t have drainage holes, you will need to either make your own holes, or add an inner plant pot with drainage holes.
Choose a pot that’s the right size for your plants. How many do you want to put in it? How big are they going to get? Ideally you should go for a pot that’s big enough for at least a year, to keep your plants happy and save you from having to repot them regularly.
The rest of the decision-making process is absolutely up to you. There’s a huge amount of choice out there and you can easily find a colour, shape, style and material to suit your own tastes and the look of your outdoor space.
It’s also well worth considering a spot of upcycling here; so many household items make great plant pots. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
An old teapot
A chimney pot
A kitchen colander
An old sink
A storage crate
An old pair of wellies
A watering can
The best compost for outdoor container plants
If you’re growing plants in pots, it’s really important to give them good compost. Our best compost for pots guide covers this in detail, but here’s a quick overview.
Plants that grow in the ground can easily access the nutrients they need in the soil around them. Plants grown in containers however are restricted by the pot, and as a result they will eventually exhaust the nutrients available. When this happens, your plants will start to look less healthy and may struggle to grow.
To avoid the problem of starved winter container plants, always use a good quality *peat-free compost.
You should be fine to use general-purpose compost for the majority of your container plants, but some plants do need a particular type of compost in order to grow well. The plant label should tell you if this is the case.
There is also compost available that has been specifically designed to support plants grown in pots and baskets. This type of compost is usually enriched with slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals. As well as helping your plants to thrive, it’s a good option if you’re keen to keep the plant maintenance to a minimum, or you’re not very confident about taking care of your pots.
How to plant a winter container
Once you’ve got your plants, your pots, and your tools, you’re ready to create some beautiful seasonal displays. Here’s a quick guide to planting outdoor pots for winter.
Start by adding a layer of ‘crocks’ (these are simply broken pieces of an old pot) or small stones to the bottom of your pot. This will help excess water to drain away.
Add compost to your pot until it’s almost full.
Carefully remove each plant from its pot – try to avoid damaging the root system. A good way to do this is to slide your fingers around the base of the plant, then tip the plant over and ease the pot away with your other hand.
Arrange your plants on top of the soil. You can move them around until you’re happy with the layout. It’s a good idea to position taller plants at the back of the pot, and make sure any trailing plants are near an edge so they can spill over.
When you’re happy with your layout, fill in any gaps around the plants with more compost.
Finish by watering your pot, and pop it in its final position.
Care tips for winter plants in pots
Caring for your beautiful winter plants display is pretty low-effort. Focus on these key areas, and you’ll be giving your plants the best chance of doing well.
Feeding winter plants in pots
As I’ve already mentioned, a container plant will eventually use up all the nutrients in the compost. To stop this being a problem, you can feed your plants regularly with a general-purpose plant food.
You can choose the format of your plant food to suit your own preference. A *concentrated liquid needs to be diluted before you use it (the packaging will tell you how to do this), so you will need a watering can for this option. Plant food is also available in *granule form which you add to your compost when planting, and *ready-to-use liquid feed which you simply pour into your pot. If you’re nervous about getting the feeding right, the last option is definitely the easiest way to do it, but bear in mind it’s probably also the most expensive and least eco-friendly way to feed your plants.
If you’re keen on sustainable gardening or are gardening on a budget, you can have a go at making your own plant feed from nettle or comfrey leaves. This is a particularly good option if you like to garden organically. This video shows you how to make natural plant food:
Watering outdoor potted plants in winter
Plants grown in containers will dry out faster than plants grown in the ground, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there’s a limit to how much water that the compost can retain. Plus, the sides of the pot get exposed to warmer temperatures than the ground, this heats up the compost which in turn causes more evaporation.
You might not need to water your container plants at all during winter, but it’s still a good idea to check the soil regularly. To do this, simply poke your finger into the soil surface; if it feels dry, you need to water your plants. Moist soil doesn’t need to be watered.
Winter plants for pots: the importance of drainage
While it’s important to make sure your plants aren’t too dry, it’s also crucial to prevent your pots from getting too damp.
The majority of plants really dislike having their roots in a puddle of water. Soggy roots can quickly rot, and root rot will kill your plant. This is particularly relevant in colder months, when water is much less likely to evaporate and the weather is generally more wet. In addition, excess water can freeze, which is also really bad news for plant roots.
The way to avoid this problem is to do everything you can to allow excess water to drain out of your containers and provide your plants with well-drained soil.
Those drainage holes I keep going on about play a big role here – so choose your containers for your winter displays carefully.
Putting crocks or stones in the bottom of your container will also help with drainage.
You can also improve the drainage of your compost by adding materials such as grit or *perlite. This creates a more open soil structure which allows water to drain more effectively, resulting in better drained soil.
Another simple way to avoid soggy containers is to use *pot feet or bricks to lift your pots off the ground. Leaving your pots on the ground makes them more likely to become waterlogged in winter. Raising them up an inch or two will help water to drain away more easily.
How to keep your winter flowering plants blooming
Would you like to get as many flowers as possible from your winter plants? Of course you would!
Deadheading is a brilliant way to make sure your winter plants in pots give you a long-lasting display of flowers. The added bonus is it’s really quick and easy to do.
Deadheading is all about removing flowers that are dead, drooping, or forming seed heads. Taking these off the plant prevents it from setting seed, which in turn stimulates it to grow more flowers.
To remove old flowers, just pinch them off with your fingers, or use *secateurs or *snips to make the job even easier.
You should aim to deadhead your plants regularly, this will help to create a steady supply of blooms. It’s the kind of gardening job you can tackle whenever you’ve got a couple of spare minutes, so it’s not hard to fit it in.
How do I protect my potted plants in the winter?
By choosing plants that are happy to grow outdoors in winter, you will go a long way towards keeping your potted plants healthy.
One of the key things to pay attention to is drainage, which we’ve already covered. Getting the water levels right in your containers is really important in winter, so make sure you stay on top of this by checking your pots on a regular basis.
If your plants look like they’re struggling, you can try moving the pot to a more sheltered spot such as near a house wall or away from wind.
Can you leave potted plants outside in the winter?
If you’ve chosen winter hardy container plants, they should be OK outside in winter. If, however, you have tender plants in pots, it’s a good idea to move them to a more sheltered location until the weather warms up again. My post on protecting plants from frost and cold weather covers this in more detail and talks about plants that can survive winter outside.
And that’s it! Everything you need to know about the best outdoor winter plants for pots, and how to take proper care of them. I hope this guide has inspired you to create some fabulous winter plant displays – tell me what plants are on your wish list in the comments 🙂
More container gardening ideas and resources
If you’d like some more ideas for container gardening and plant inspiration, I’ve got you covered.
Having beautiful blooms outside your home is not only pleasing to the eye, but can also increase the kerb appeal of your property. Even if you have only a tiny balcony or patio, flowers add freshness to your space with their vibrant colours, interesting textures, and pleasant fragrance.
Growing flowers in containers is a great way to make the most of your outdoor space and enjoy a wide range of flowers. This article takes a look at some of the best flowers to grow in pots, and how to keep a small garden looking good.
Easy flowers to grow in small spaces
Pots, hanging baskets and window boxes are all great for turning your small space into a beautiful and charming garden. Here are some great flowers to grow in containers:
Petunias: Ideal for baskets or pots, petunias will fill your garden with colourful blooms. Try to keep them in full sun, where they will flower all summer.
Geraniums: These popular flowering plants are hardy and do well in pots. They bloom for a long time and often have interesting foliage too.
Begonias: These summer flowering plants can cope with some shade and will flower right through into autumn.
Marigolds: Marigolds are easy flowers to grow. Their bright yellow and orange flowers can liven up any small area. Bees and other pollinating insects love them too.
Lavender: Lavender not only looks beautiful, but it also smells great. Choose a compact variety for a pot to keep your plant happy.
Learn more about choosing the right flowers and taking care of them like a professional.
How to make a flower garden on a balcony
Adding flowers to your balcony can really bring a touch of nature to your home. It’s not hard to grow flowers in small spaces, but if you’re creating a balcony garden you need to bear in mind the following practical considerations:
Choose plants that are suited to growing in pots.
Go for containers that suit the style of your home.
Buy good quality potting compost to ensure strong plant growth.
Water your plants regularly.
Feed your plants on a regular basis as they will eventually exhaust the nutrients in their soil.
Remove dead flower heads and trim plants to keep your balcony garden looking good.
How to keep a small garden tidy
Small gardens can quickly look messy if you don’t stay on top of them. Here are some tips for keeping your garden neat and beautiful:
Use vertical space: Vertical plant growth is a major garden trend right now. If you have limited space at ground level you can make your garden look better by growing flowers on the vertical space. Use pots, shelves, or hanging baskets to max out on greenery.
Organise your gardening tools: Even the smallest garden needs some basic tools, and that creates the need for storage. A small storage unit or toolbox will keep your gardening tools handy while also avoiding clutter.
Tidy up your plants regularly: Dead flowers don’t look great, and dead leaves can impact the health of your plants. Removing any dead material regularly will help your plants thrive and also make your garden look nicer. Taking off old flowers also encourages the plant to produce more new flowers, so it’s a win-win gardening task.
Choose multifunctional furniture: Clever outdoor furniture can really help you keep a small garden tidy. For example, you could choose a coffee table or a bench seat with hidden storage for your tools.
Limit the range of plants: While you may want to plant all of your favourite flowers in your small garden, that may not be the best approach. Sticking to a few flower types can help keep the look more organised and consistent.
If you’re looking for special types of flowers, you can contact romanceflowers.co.uk. Their local flower arrangements are sure to add a vibrant touch to your home.
Conclusion
You can be creative and enjoy yourself while growing flowers in small spaces. No matter how small your outdoor area is, you can enjoy the benefits of a garden with a few clever tricks. Choose the right flowers for container gardening, keep things tidy, and look after your plants, and you’ll be well on the way to creating a mini oasis that you can enjoy all year round.
There are two main reasons that you might consider planting a pollinator garden in pots instead of in the ground: Either you don’t have a garden bed—or you’ve run out of space to plant anything more in your garden. In either scenario, a container garden can support pollinators just as well as an in-ground garden. Even if you aren’t dealing with space constraints, you might consider adding some pollinator pots, says Alicia Whitaker, a master gardener and a co-leader for the Suffolk Alliance for Pollinators’s South Fork chapter. “If they’re near an outdoor seating area, the gardener can see and enjoy the wildlife that will be attracted.” Plus, she notes: Containers are also a great option if the gardener has a mobility issue or other handicap that makes gardening in the ground difficult.
Above: A bumble bee nectaring on goldenrod. Photograph by Kim Eierman.
Here, nine tips on how to garden for pollinators in pots:
1. Be prepared to water often.
The most common mistake with any container garden is underwatering. “The soil in pots dries out faster, especially in a very sunny and hot environment, such as a windy deck or brick patio surface,” says Whitaker, who notes that people often underestimate the water needs of container plants because they are accustomed to worrying about overwatering indoor houseplants.
2. Go big.
Above: Susan Nock, a Boston-based garden designer with a specialty in container gardens, filled a large pot with tall grass, agastache, foxglove, daisies, scabiosa, verbena, angelonia, and sweet potato vine for a dynamic, pollinator-friendly design. Photograph by Susan Nock.
Garden pros recommend choosing the largest container possible. “A higher volume of soil will dry out less quickly,” explains Whitaker. But there’s another reason to go big: The more plants you cram into a pot, the better the chances the pollinators will find them. “When we use large pots or gang pots together in groups, we create some floral targets for pollinators,” says ecological horticulturist Kim Eierman, the author of The Pollinator Victory Garden and founder of EcoBeneficia. “That’s really important. Having a larger target makes it much easier for the pollinator to find the resource.” If you’re worried about weight, you can use a false bottom planter.
3. Amend the soil.
Both Whitaker and Eierman suggest mixing compost into the container’s soil, to nourish the plants and encourage root growth. “I apply a limited amount of compost a couple times a year to beef up the soil biology because there’s no interchange with any other soil,” adds Eierman. “I just put it on top and let rain do its thing.” Whitaker adds, “We often hear that native perennials prefer leaner soil and don’t require fertilizer, but the artificial environment of a container calls for better soil and the regular use of organic fertilizer.”
4. Consistency + variety is key.
Just like humans, pollinators need a diverse diet, but that doesn’t mean you need to run out and buy dozens of different plants. Eierman says to aim for a balance between diversity and sufficiency of given plants. So, rather than having many tiny plants of a wide variety of species, focus on a few types. “It’s better to have a more substantial amount of that one species,” says Eierman. Whitaker adds, “Think drifts, not polka dots.” When pollinators forage they’re looking for that one plant species, so a repetition of bloom from container to container can attract them without having one massive target, Eierman notes.
5. Give the bugs color cues.
Above: This composition of ‘Giga Blue’ pincushion flower, ‘VIBE Ignition’ purple salvia, and S’unSparkler Firecracker’ sedum by Monrovia demonstrates how you can do a monochromatic pollinator design using one color but different plants. Photograph via Monrovia.
“We know that pollinators have their color preferences,” says Whitaker. Hummingbirds are attracted to red flowers, while many bees love purples and yellows. Butterflies are drawn to a wide range of colors, but moths are attracted to white blossoms. “it’s good to have a variety of colors, and a variety of shapes,” says Whitaker, noting, “There are almost no wrong choices.”
New Yorkers who discover Rockaway Beach, the sandy peninsula at the end of the A train, tend to fall in love. Alexandria Donati and Jonathan Chesley, the husband and wife duo behind Ktisma Studio, were among those who appreciated the charms of the beach-meets-urban setting. The couple first visited Rockaway Beach more than a decade ago when their friends began buying up houses on a block where 1920s bungalows had survived development. In 2017, Donati and Chesley finally got a chance to buy their own bungalow in the community, and perhaps equally important to Donati, who is a landscape architect, the tiny yard that came along with it.
Over time Rockaway’s original wooden boardwalks have been replaced with concrete, and Donati and Chesley’s yard was no exception. “When we moved in there was an old privet shrub growing on a fence line, a pile of debris, and a lot of concrete,” says Donati. So, the first order of business was to remove concrete to make way for planting beds and to replace and repair fences. (Donati had already been on a years-long campaign to convince friends to rip up their concrete. “I told them I would help them plant it if they just jack-hammered it out,” she says.)
Since buying the property, Donati has experimented with the planting and carved out distinct gardens within the petite lot. In front, the west-facing garden has a warm palette inspired by the sunsets; there’s a rambling berry patch along the side of the house; and the back garden, which is all about scent, even includes an area rug-sized stretch of lawn. Pots of herbs and flowers are scattered everywhere.
Above: No irrigation here—Donati hand-waters her bungalow garden because she prefers to encourage stronger roots. “I definitely stress the garden out, but I do it on purpose,” she says. “I feel like gardens get over-irrigated, in general.”
Donati has been strategic about using plants to both conceal and reveal views from their small yard. Espaliered fruit trees, for example, soften the border between neighboring yards and an elderberry hides an unattractive deck. String lights and a shade sail that they hang in the summer help to enhance the feeling of enclosure, while matchstick blinds add privacy (and shade) to the front porch. “There’s a giant apartment building that says ‘luxury condos’ nearby, but that’s New York City life,” says Donati. “Even in a Brooklyn brownstone, you could have the nicest house and garden, but you can’t change what surrounds you.”
Earlier this week, Remodelista readers were treated to a tour of a row house in Ghent that was was formerly “charmless” and now fresh and chic thanks to its resourceful new owners, Arthur Verraes and Kelly Desmedt, who did much of the remodeling work themselves. Today, we’re visiting the elements that make the outdoor space equally cool.
While Arthur, architect and founder of Atelier Avondzon, led the house renovation, his girlfriend Kelly, a corporate lawyer, is the mastermind behind the overhaul of the back garden. She had no prior experience with gardening. “I grew up without having a garden myself and knew nothing about plants,” says Kelly, who discovered her green thumb during the COVID pandemic, when they purchased the house. “Ever since, I’ve been thinking about studying to become a landscape architect or to do something with it in a more professional way. For now, I’m indulging this passion by helping out friends and family from time to time and by designing our next project.”
The landscape design was actually the first thing the couple tackled, before turning their attention to the house renovation. “I would definitely recommend this sequence. The moment we were able to move, it already felt like home and the garden was already in full bloom,” she says. “Not to mention, this allowed us to plant trees that we wouldn’t be able to plant afterwards (urban townhouse).”
Below, she gives us a tour of the newly reimagined outdoor space. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom for the before images.)
Above: Arthur and their dog posing at the front door of their remodeled row house. Two simple changes to the exterior transformed the entire look: 1) painting the garage door, gutter, and window frames green and 2) adding a wisteria to frame the front door.
Above: The couple tackled the backyard before renovating the house. Next to them on the lower left is a Mediterranean spurge shrub (Euphorbia characias). Above: “We wanted to create an intimate, green, and cozy environment. a perfect place to catch some morning sun, to have a coffee next to the master bedroom or a place to cool down on a hot summer day. That’s why we decided to plant multiple trees in it, despite the small space,” says Kelly. The tree on the left is an Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense).
Above: Arthur and Kelly added these concrete steps that lead to a green roof above. The stairs serve as plant shelves as well for their collection of potted succulents. Above: Kelly chose gravel for the hardscaping for environmental reasons. “We really wanted to ensure a permeable surface. [Flooding] is a big problem in Belgium.”
Are you looking for inspiration on the best perennial plants for pots?
Perennial plants can be an excellent choice for containers, providing year round interest and low effort displays that don’t break the bank. But some perennials are better suited to growing in pots than others – which is where this plant guide comes in very handy!
The best low maintenance perennial plants for pots
In this article we’ll explore 30 fantastic perennial plants that are perfect for pots and containers. Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a budding plant parent, we’ve got tips and advice to help you create a low maintenance container garden that’s bursting with colour and interest.
What are perennial plants?
Perennial plants thrive year after year, typically requiring infrequent replacement. They come in two main types: evergreen, maintaining their leaves all year, and deciduous, shedding foliage in colder seasons.
Unlike perennials, annual plants complete their life cycle within a single growing season, from germination to flowering and eventual death. As a result, they typically require replacement each year.
There are lots of compelling reasons to consider perennial plants when planning your container displays:
Year-round interest: Perennial plants can provide continuous colour, texture, and appeal. This is especially valuable during the dormant seasons of winter and early spring.
Low-effort container gardening: Perennials allow you to avoid the hassle of replacing plants each season. Many perennials are also hardy plants, requiring minimal care, even in colder weather.
Cost-effective: With proper care, perennials in pots will maintain their good looks year after year, reducing the need for frequent plant purchases. As well as making your garden more eco-friendly, this is also great if you’re trying to save money on gardening.
Plenty of choice: there’s a vast selection of perennial plants for pots, boasting impressive foliage, striking blooms, or vibrant berries to elevate your garden’s aesthetics.
Things to consider when choosing perennial plants for pots
Before you start shopping for perennial plants, it’s important to consider the following:
Pot size: What size is your planting container?
Desired height: How tall would you like the plant to grow?
Growth rate: How quickly do you want the plant to grow?
Support: Can you provide plant support (such as a trellis or obelisk) if required?
Location: What levels of sun exposure, shade, wind, and shelter does your pot’s location provide?
Personal preferences: Do you want a specific colour of flower, type of foliage, or scent?
Considering these aspects will help you select the right plant for your containers.
Flowering perennials for pots
Achillea
With their delicate, feathery leaves and flat-headed flowers, achilleas have a lot to offer in pots. They’re loved by pollinating insects too.
Agapanthus
For stunning perennial flowers in pots, grow agapanthus (also known as African lilies) in your pots. Give these impressive plants like sun and well-drained soil, and they will reward you with blooms from midsummer to early autumn.
Some varieties of Agapanthus needwinter protection, so growing them in pots makes it easy to move them to a warmer location in cold months.
Ajuga
A good ground cover option, Ajuga is a low maintenance plant that produces dainty flowers in spring and early summer.
Alliums
For late spring blooms, consider allium bulbs in pots. Opt for shorter varieties like ‘christophii’, or ‘cowanii’ or ‘oreophilum’ to ensure they fit well in your container display.
Aquilegia
Spring flowering aquilegias will complement annual flowers beautifully in spring pots. With a variety of colours available, they effortlessly blend into any garden scheme. Plus, if you let them, they will readily self-seed, adding a touch of spontaneity to your garden.
Azalea
For vibrant flowers, look no further than azaleas. These popular plants enjoy sheltered conditions and partial shade.
Dahlia
Dahlias are well-suited to growing in pots, and can take a container display from late summer right into autumn. The added bonus of container planting dahlias is you can keep their slug and snail enemies under control more easily.
There’s a huge selection of dahlia varieties to choose from, so it’s not hard to find a shade that suits your container colour scheme.
Eryngium
Resembling thistles, Eryngiums have spiky blooms and silver-blue stems. Perfect for adding height and impact to a pot, they will thrive even in poor soil conditions. Do bear in mind that these plants are quite prickly; it’s a good idea to plant them in a pot that you don’t come into contact with regularly.
Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’
Wallflowers are truly long blooming perennials for containers. This variety of wallflower produces lovely purple flowers on delicate grey-green stems from late winter months right into summer.
Geum
You probably associate geums with cottage garden planting. These tough plants produce an abundance of small flowers without a fuss, and are happy in full sun or part shade.
Hardy geranium
Hardy geraniums are low-maintenance, hassle-free perennial flowers for pots. They will bloom abundantly with minimal care, and you can easily divide them to create new plants at no cost.
Hellebore
Hellebores are ideal for late winter and spring containers, providing flowers at a time when many other plants are dormant.
Lavender
Lavender is a brilliant perennial for pots. The silver-grey foliage is evergreen, and the delicate purple flowers give off an incredible scent. Lavender is pretty enough to plant solo in a container, or you can combine it with other plants on the pink/purple/silver spectrum for an impactful display.
Penstemons resemble foxgloves, with tubular flowers on tall spikes. They’re popular with pollinating insects and are available in a range of colours. Grow this hardy perennial in large containers for best results.
Peony
For truly showstopping blooms, it’s hard to beat peonies. They like to grow in full sun and enjoy rich soil, so make sure you feed them regularly in pots.
Salvia nemorosa
This ornamental sage is a compact variety that works well in pots. The flower spikes combine with textured leaves to create lots of impact.
Sedum
If texture is your preference, sedums are a good choice. These low-growing plants are excellent for covering soil in pots and work well alongside succulents.
Spring bulbs
Spring flowering bulbs are perfect for pots, and can create focal points in a garden that hasn’t really got going yet.
Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, iris, snowdrops and fritillaries are all good options for gorgeous containers. Creating a bulb lasagne – layers of bulbs topped with plants – is an easy way to get the most out of your pots.
Bamboo plants have a reputation for rampaging around a garden if you let them, but growing them in a pot allows you to avoid this and still enjoy their looks. Bamboos are tall perennials for pots, so they’re ideal for creating privacy on an overlooked patio too. Choose a large pot to keep this plant happy.
Brunnera
A foliage stunner that also flowers, brunnera has interesting heart-shaped leaves and is suited to shady pots.
Cordyline
The striking sword-shaped leaves of Cordylines will add a modern edge to you container displays. There’s a range of colours to choose from, including deep red, pink, and greens.
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’
As the name suggests, this is a great perennial for a winter pot. Yes, there are white flowers to enjoy in summer, but it’s the impactful orange and pink stems in winter that you really want this plant for. Use large pots for this perennial.
Euonymus fortunei
This evergreen shrub is low growing, making it a useful ground cover in larger containers. Use the striking foliage to add visual interest and colour to a container display.
Fatsia japonica
If you like your leaves big and bold, try a Fatsia. These evergreen perennials work well in shady areas.
Ferns
Ferns are fantastic if you’d like to create a woodland or tropical vibe in your perennial containers. Their beautiful foliage is packed with texture and can create movement when the wind blows. Good varieties of fern for containers include Athyrium filix-femina, Athyrium Pewter Lace, and Dryopteris Wallichiana.
Heuchera
Heucheras, (or coral bells) truly shine in container displays. While their interesting foliage steals the show, they also boast small summer flowers, perfect for attracting pollinators. Available in a spectrum of shades, from rich reds to vibrant greens, these tough perennials can elevate pots with their stunning colours.
Hosta
Who needs flowers for a striking container display? Hostas, with their big, textured leaves, are ideal specimen plants. Their impressive foliage steals the show, making a bold statement. Growing hostas in pots also offers the benefit of easier slug and snail control.
Ornamental grasses
Outdoor pots flourish with the addition of grasses. These versatile plants can provide height, texture, and movement, and serve as an excellent backdrop to flowering plants.
Ornamental grasses really stand out in winter, when their structural elegance shines amidst a quieter garden. Evergreen varieties like Feather Reed Grass, Blue Fescue, Tufted Hair Grass, Stipa tenuissima, and Japanese Sedge will look good year-round.
Stachys byzantina
Also known as lamb’s ears, the soft, fuzzy leaves of stachys serve a purpose, reducing water evaporation and making it a great choice for drought-tolerant foliage in containers.
Care tips for perennial plants in pots
Growing perrenials in pots restricts their access to nutrients and space. This means it’s crucial to provide adequate support for your plants to flourish.
Here are some useful tips to help your container grown perennials thrive:
Choosing pots for perennial plants
When choosing a suitable pot for perennial plants, ensure it meets the following criteria:
Sufficient space to accommodate the plant’s eventual size (refer to plant care instructions for guidance).
Adequate drainage holes at the bottom to avoid waterlogging.
Perennial potted plants tend to dry out faster than those in the ground. During warmer months, monitor your pots frequently; if the soil surface feels dry, it’s time to water.
However, be cautious not to overwater, as inadequate drainage can lead to root rot.
Elevating pots on *pot feetwill help with good drainage, as will incorporating *perlite into the soil mix.
Feeding potted perennials
Over time, container plants will deplete soil nutrients, leading to diminished growth. To prevent plant decline, it’s essential to feed your plants regularly.
For ornamental plants, opt for a general-purpose plant food, available in either *liquid form to dilute in water, or *granules to incorporate into the soil.
In conclusion, perennial plants offer endless possibilities for container gardens. From their year-round beauty to their low-maintenance charm, these plants are the perfect choice for anyone looking to add long-lasting vibrancy to their outdoor space. Whether you’re gardening on a balcony, in patio pots, or on a windowsill, you can embrace the versatility of perennial plants and enjoy a low maintenance perennial container garden all year round.
More container gardening advice
For more tips on gardening in containers, check out these articles:
Pin for later: best low maintenance perennial plants for pots
Living in a city, your gardening options can be limited. So our interest was piqued when a friend shared a video from Plant Traps. In it, a woman hooks a minimalist wire contraption onto a metal railing to create a support for a potted plant. The mechanism was delightfully simple, removable—and it absolutely transformed the space with greenery.
We reached out to Plant Traps founder Deborah Holtschlag to inquire about her ingenious device, and it turned out that we were among several million people who’d recently found her RailScapes Plant Clip. Since debuting her invention last March, Holtschlag has been hustling to create Instagram Stories and TikTok videos to promote it, but it wasn’t until two days after Christmas that one went viral. “The Reel on Instagram that got 100 million views was a blessing, but we also blew through our reserves,” Holtschlag says. (Don’t worry, they’re finally caught up on inventory.)
Above: Each RailScapes Plant Clip can hold up to 15 pounds (25 pounds if at the foot of the railing).
We’re not shocked that Holtschlag found gardeners hungry for her plant support. Often the products sold to hang plants from railings are ugly, require drilling, or only work on certain types of fences. Her version uses tension to sit between railings (rather than draping over the top), and it can be adjusted to fit at a variety of railing widths. Renters can take it with them when they move—and at $20 a piece, it is relatively affordable.
Above: The contraption uses tension to stay in place.
What did come as a surprise was that Holtschlag herself is not a gardener herself. It turns out she invented the product for her gardener husband, whose plants were taking up what she considered to be too much of their precious space patio.
Above: Each RailScapes Plant Clip is $20.
Since launching the RailScapes Plant Clip, Holtschlag says she has been thrilled to see her customers use them in many ways, including on gates, spiral staircases, wood fences with wide-spaced pickets, and, as seen in her second most popular Reel, on an indoor stair railing.
Personally, this writer is looking at the bare wrought iron fence outside her window in a whole new light.
Are you looking to create wow factor in your hanging basket or container garden displays? This list of the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots has twenty fantastic varieties to help you do just that.
Low maintenance outdoor hanging plants
In this post I’ve listed lots of outdoor trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots that will give your containers oomph and help to increase their overall impact. You’ll also find tips on planting and caring for your container garden, so you can keep it looking fantastic for months.
Why trailing plants are brilliant for outdoor hanging baskets and container gardens
There are lots of good reasons why you should definitely consider trailing container plants for pots or a hanging basket arrangement.
First of all, trailing plants look great! There’s a wide range of different varieties to choose from, and you can use them to provide colour, texture, contrast, foliage and scent in your container displays – just like you would with a plant that doesn’t trail.
Another good reason to grow trailing container plants is all about volume. Because they spill over the sides, they allow you to ‘green up’ a larger area than the surface of the soil alone. This means you can create a bigger impact in a smaller space, which is great for small space gardening or compact pots and baskets.
Cascading plants are also brilliant when it comes to disguising a less-than-lovely basket or pot. You can use them to cover up a multitude of sins!
Many trailing plants for containers are ideal for helping you garden for wildlife too. You can use them to boost the amount of food and shelter available to local wildlife without taking up lots of room.
What plants go together in a hanging basket?
Before we get onto the best trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots, I want to share a super-simple but seriously clever trick for wow factor containers.
The “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” approach is loved by gardening professionals, and for good reason. Trailing container plants play a key role in this easy plant hack that creates show-stopping hanging baskets and containers.
Here’s how you can copy the pros and design amazing hanging displays.
1. Start with a Thriller plant. This is the main attraction in your container, so it tends to be bigger or taller than the other plants. Positioning your Thriller plant in the centre of your hanging basket or pot works well.
2. Next, you need some Filler plants to – you’ve guessed it – fill up your container. The aim with these is to deliver a splash of colour and interest closer to the soil. We’re not trying to compete with the Thriller plant here; instead think of your fillers as providing an interesting backdrop with colour, texture and shape.
3. Your Spiller plants are your trailing plants. These should be planted close to the edge of the container, so they can cascade over the sides easily. As well as increasing the size of your plant display, spillers are excellent for balancing out the height of other plants in your container.
How many plants do you put in a hanging basket?
If you’re hanging trailing plants outdoors, the ideal quantity you need depends on the size of your container.
It’s tempting to really pack the plants in for a big impact, but don’t forget that those plants will get bigger. Remember also that each plant relies on a limited amount of compost for nutrients, so the more plants you squeeze in, the quicker that compost will become exhausted and stop supporting the plants as well.
A sensible approach is to allow a little bit of room around each plant when you plant up your container. It’s also a very good idea to feed your plants regularly – more on that later.
The best low maintenance trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots
Ready to dive into the world of cascading plants for hanging baskets and pots? Here are my favourite trailing plants for container gardens. I’ve included flowering hanging plants, foliage plants and edible plants, so it’s a one-stop shop for trailing plant inspiration.
Flowering trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots
When it comes to flowering trailing plants for window boxes, baskets and pots, you’ve got lots of fantastic options. Here’s my selection of the best trailing flowers for hanging baskets and container displays.
Trailing Fuchsia
A favourite with many gardeners, fuchsia plants have beautiful bell-shaped, showy flowers that nod from the stems and last all summer. A trailing variety of this flowering plant will add froth and lots of colour to a hanging basket or pot. The flowers will dance in the breeze too, so you’ll also be able to enjoy a bit of movement.
Trailing Lobelia
I love using trailing lobelia in containers; I think it’s one of the best hanging basket plants you can choose. The tiny flowers are perfect for softening edges, and the plant will bloom for months. You don’t need to deadhead it either. It works well as a contrast to plants with larger flowers, or mixed in with trailing foliage plants.
Make sure you buy the trailing variety of lobelia, as it’s also available as an upright plant.
Trailing petunia (Calibrachoa)
If you want an easy to grow plant that produces lots of flowers, go for trailing petunias (also known as Calibrachoa or million bells). You can get months of interest from these easy-going annuals, and there are some fabulous patterned and double varieties available if you like the idea of mixing things up a bit.
Bacopa
Another candidate for small flowers, Bacopa is covered in dainty blooms and will put on a show from late spring right through to autumn.
Trailing pelargoniums
Geraniums (or pelargoniums) are a much-loved plant for pots and baskets, but did you know you can buy trailing varieties?
These are often referred to as ivy-leafed trailing geraniums, and are available in shades of pink, red, white and purple flowers. Use them to add a pop of colour to a mixed display, or combine them with standard geraniums for a more contemporary look.
Trailing Begonias
Begonias are another firm favourite for pots, and the trailing varieties are extra-useful for turning up the volume on your displays. There are loads of colours to choose from too.
Black-eyed Susan vine
Black eyed Susan vine, or Thunbergia alata, is a less well-known trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots, but well worth considering. It’s a climber, but will be happy spilling over the edge of containers too. The flowers are quite big, so it works well in larger containers. Black-eyed Susans are native to east Africa so will enjoy warm conditions and a sheltered spot in the garden, or you can grow it in a conservatory.
Trailing Verbena
These popular bedding plants are reliable and unfussy, producing an abundance of flowers on dense foliage. Trailing Verbena is great for bulking out your pots and will happily fill in any gaps.
Trailing Pansies
Pansies are a go-to plant for winter and spring containers, and by including a trailing pansy variety you can get all the benefits of these hardy, colourful plants with the added cascade factor. ‘Cool Wave’ is a popular mix of trailing pansies which includes yellows, purples and white tones.
Outdoor trailing plants for foliage in hanging baskets and pots
It’s a good idea to include foliage plants in any container display. They’re fantastic for adding texture and colour contrast, and work hard to showcase their flower neighbours.
If you’re wondering what to put in hanging baskets besides flowers, here are some great trailing hanging basket plants for foliage.
Creeping jenny
Creeping jenny is also known as Lysimachia. It’s an evergreen trailing plant, so it’s good for container displays at any time of year. Grow it for the lovely lime green foliage, but it also produces small yellow flowers. A great backdrop plant to showcase your flowers.
Calocephalus
I don’t know whether this is strictly a trailing plant, but I often use Calocephalus as a spiller in my containers. It has lovely delicate silver stems that tumble over edges as the plant grows bigger. Combine this one with shades of purple and pink flowers for a cool, modern look.
Ivy
Ivies are cheap, readily available evergreen trailing plants for hanging baskets. English ivy is also a fabulous source of shelter and food for garden wildlife. And trailing ivy is an extremely tough plant, so if you tend to neglect your containers it’s definitely one to consider.
You could go for a variegated variety to add interest, or an all-green variety for a subtle backdrop to your other plants.
Vinca
If you grow trailing Vinca (also called trailing periwinkle) in the ground, it will scramble all over the place, and it’s this urge to spread that makes it a good trailing plant for hanging baskets and pots. You can avoid it taking over the garden too!
Helichrysum petiolare
Another great evergreen plant for pots, Helichrysum petiolare (or liquorice plant) has pale stems and grey-green leaves. The leaves have a felt-like texture, so this is also a great plant for a tactile display.
Tradescantia Zebrina
The leaves on Tradescantia (which is also known as inch plant) are a thing of beauty. They’re striped on top and purple underneath, so you get an abundance of colour and interest. This foliage plant is often grown indoors, but you can get away with a warm, sheltered spot outside.
Trailing ferns
If you think of ferns as being solely upright plants, think again. Some types have a trailing habit and are well-suited to hanging baskets and pots. Popular varieties include Boston fern, maidenhair fern and lady fern.
Silver Falls Dichondra
If you’d like some silver-grey in the mix, Dichondra argentea, or silver nickel vine, is a brilliant tender perennial trailing foliage plant (take a look at my guide to annual vs. perennial plants if you’re not sure what perennials are). The unusually shaped leaves will complement shades of pink and purple, and work beautifully in white plant arrangements too.
Trailing sedums (trailing succulents)
Love your succulents? Go for a trailing variety of sedum such as ‘Redhead’, “Bluebubbles” or “Moss sedum’ in your containers. These hanging succulent plants provide foliage at soil level, and will happily creep over the edges of a pot too.
Edible trailing plants for hanging baskets
Your trailing pot plants can taste good as well as look good! Here are three great edible trailing plants for containers.
Strawberries
Strawberry plants work really well in hanging baskets and pots. By raising them off the ground you can protect the fruit from slugs and snails, plus it’s easier to pick the fruit. They look great too! Grow your plants in direct sunlight for best results – they love a sunny spot.
Tomatoes
You don’t need a grow bag to grow tomatoes; they will be perfectly content in a pot or hanging basket. You need to go for a bush variety rather than a cordon variety; *Tumbling Tom and Balconi Red are both an excellent choice for cherry tomatoes.
Nasturtiums
This trailing plant could also sit very well in the flowering category. The bright orange flowers are great for making a statement, but they’re also edible, so you can pick them for salads and garnishes. Trailing nasturtiums are tough plants that grow quickly, and they will tolerate poor soil and a bit of neglect. Definitely a great contender for a low maintenance container garden.
The best tools for planting hanging basket and outdoor pots
Gardening in pots and hanging baskets is very straightforward, and you won’t need lots of fancy equipment and tools. Having said that, having a few basic pieces of kit will definitely make things easier.
Top of my list is a good *hand trowel. You’ll use this all the time to fill your containers with compost, and top up gaps around your plants. Go for a size that’s well-suited to your hanging basket or pot; you might find that child-sized tools work best if your containers are on the small side.
Next up is a decent pair of *gardening gloves to protect your hands. This is very much an area where personal preference is important, but don’t be too distracted by pretty designs! You need a pair that fit well and allow you to move your hands easily when you’re wearing them.
I also think a pair of *secateurs or *snips are a must-have to help you maintain your plants. In my experience snips are particularly good for small spaces and hanging baskets.
Finally, make sure you’ve got a *watering can. I use a *mini watering can for my hanging baskets; you can lift these up high more easily, plus they don’t provide a deluge of water that floods your basket too quickly.
Trailing flowers for pots: choosing hanging baskets and containers
You’re spoilt for choice with the range of hanging baskets and pots available for outdoor plant displays. Whatever style you’re after, you can probably find it. Just make sure you think about these key areas before you buy:
Your hanging basket or pot needs drainage holes. Without them, your plants will sit in a puddle of water, and that can quickly kill them. Don’t buy anything that doesn’t already have holes, or an easy way to make some yourself.
You may need to also buy a liner for hanging baskets. Check the size, and if in doubt buy one that’s larger than your basket so you can trim it down.
Pay attention to the hook on a hanging basket. It needs to be strong and sturdy; once the basket is full of compost, plants and water it will be surprisingly heavy.
Go for a basket that can comfortably hold the number of plants you want to grow. Always allow a bit of room for them to fill as they get bigger.
You can also upcycle household objects to make unique plant containers. Here are a few ideas for things that work well:
An old colander with a hanging basket liner, hung up with string
A broken watering can – hang it up by the handle, or stand it on the ground
A large teacup and saucer
Tin cans – hang them up with string, or display on a wall or windowsill
An old tyre
Old wellies – colourful kids wellies work really well
A teapot – hang it up by the handle, or put it on the ground
Whatever you go for, don’t forget those all-important drainage holes.
What is the best soil for hanging baskets and pots?
The compost you use is a really important part of gardening in hanging baskets and pots.
Plants grown in containers only have access to a limited amount of nutrients, because the compost itself is limited. This means at some point the plants will use up all the nutrients, and when this happens they start to struggle. We all tend to pack lots of plants into pots and hanging baskets, so your plants can reach this point quite quickly.
The best way to keep your plants happy is to choose a good quality *peat-free compost. A general-purpose compost will be fine for most container plants, but do check your plant labels as some are a bit fussier and need a particular type of compost. We’ve got a guide to the best compost for pots to help you choose the right product.
If you’re a bit nervous about looking after your plants, or want to be more hands-off with the maintenance, you could go for a compost which is specifically designed for hanging baskets and pots. This will usually contain some slow-release fertiliser plus water-retaining crystals to take care of your plants with minimum effort. You can of course make your own version of this by adding *slow-release fertiliser and *water-retaining granules to standard compost.
How do you plant a trailing hanging basket?
Here’s a quick guide to planting up a hanging basket.
Most hanging baskets don’t have a flat base, and this can make it hard to keep them steady while you plant them up. If you sit your basket on top of an empty plant pot this will help to make planting easier.
If your basket needs a liner, add that first. Make sure you trim it to size for a neat finish.
If you’re using a plastic hanging basket, or a hanging basket with a plastic liner, use a knife or scissors to poke some drainage holes in the plastic.
If you’re adding slow-release fertiliser or water-retaining granules to the compost, mix these in before filling up your hanging basket.
Add compost to the basket, until it’s nearly full.
Remove your plant from its pot carefully, to protect the roots. A good way to do this is to slide your fingers around the base of the plant, then tip the whole thing upside down and ease the pot off with your other hand.
Arrange your plants on the surface of the compost. Remember the Thriller-Filler-Spiller trick!
When you’re happy with your arrangement, fill in any gaps around the plants with a bit more compost.
Water your hanging basket really thoroughly, then allow it to drain for a few minutes before hanging it up.
How do you make a hanging basket look fuller?
We all want our hanging baskets and container displays to look lush and amazing straight away, don’t we? But this is one of those times when you need a little bit of patience!
Don’t be tempted to overfill your container for instant impact. Doing this gives the plants no room to grow, and is only a short-term gain.
Instead, give your plants a bit of space and wait for them to grow and fill out. If you take good care of them this won’t take long. You can help to speed things up by feeding and watering regularly.
If you’re using a wire hanging basket, you can also add plants around the sides to create fuller basket displays. To do this simply poke a hole in the liner, then carefully push your plant into the compost. Keep the hole small to minimise compost leakage.
Care tips for trailing plants in hanging baskets and pots
So you’ve planted up your hanging basket or pot, and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the results of your hard work, right? Sort of.
Container displays don’t need lots of maintenance, but there are a few things you can do to keep them looking good and get the maximum impact from your plants.
Right plant, right place
The most important of these is to position your container in the ideal spot for the plants inside it. This is known as ‘right plant, right place’ in the gardening world, and it’s a great way to make hanging flowers look good.
Every plant has a specific set of conditions that it prefers. That could be full sun, a sheltered spot, part shade, good drainage, or a specific type of compost. If you provide your plant with these conditions, it will do well. If you don’t, it will struggle.
As well as helping your plants grow strong, positioning them in the right place can also cut down on maintenance and make them less vulnerable to plant pests.
You can usually find the ideal conditions for a plant on the care label it comes with when you buy it. If this is missing or there’s not much information, you can look the plant up online, or use a plant identification app.
Once you’re armed with the best conditions for your plants, you can work out the ideal location for your hanging basket or pot. This works the other way around too; you can start with where you want to put your container, then buy plants that do well in the conditions provided there. This second approach is particularly useful if you’ve already installed your hanging basket bracket!
Feeding trailing plants in hanging baskets and pots
As I’ve already mentioned, plants grown in containers have limited access to nutrients. To stop them going hungry, you need to feed them regularly.
What is the best fertiliser for hanging baskets and containers?
A general-purpose plant food is fine for most container grown plants, and you can buy this in a variety of formats.
A *concentrated liquid feed must be diluted before use, while *ready-to-pour liquid feed can be added to your container straight from the bottle. Plant food is also available as *granules, which need to be mixed with the compost before you start planting. The easiest option is ready-to-pour feed, but bear in mind it won’t be the cheapest; it also involves more packaging, so if you want to garden sustainably it’s not ideal.
Can you overfeed hanging baskets?
It’s possible to overfeed any plant. Overfeeding can kill plants, so stick to the recommended intervals between feeds – check the packaging for this info.
Watering trailing plants in hanging baskets and pots
Watering is really important when you’re growing foliage and flowering plants in pots and hanging baskets.
Plants grown in containers usually dry out much quicker than plants grown in the ground. This is because the compost can only retain a finite amount of water, but also because the sides of a container are exposed to warmer temperatures which speeds up evaporation.
To avoid a parched hanging planter full of crispy plants, you need to check them on a regular basis. If the top of the compost feels dry to the touch, your plants need a drink.
Should I water my hanging baskets every day?
The answer to this question depends on the weather. In very warm conditions you may need to water every day, or even twice a day. Be guided by the weather where you live, and how dry the soil feels.
Watering hanging baskets can be a bit tricky, as they tend to overflow before the compost and roots can absorb the water. Try to water them as gradually as possible; you can even water them lightly, then come back in ten minutes and repeat the process.
Another good trick is to place a small plant saucer in the bottom of the basket before you plant it up. Doing this creates a little water reservoir and helps reduce leakage.
If you make sure the soil doesn’t really dry out between waterings this will help with water retention too. Water tends to simply pour over very dry soil, rather than soaking in.
What time of day should you water hanging baskets?
Early morning is the best time of day to water any plants. Watering before the hottest time of the day minimises evaporation and gives plants a better chance of absorbing the water. The next best option is to water in the early evening, but don’t leave it too late; damp leaves overnight can lead to problems with mould and mildew.
How do you keep hanging baskets blooming?
As well as feeding and watering your hanging baskets and pots, there’s another quick and easy way to keep them looking good for as long as possible. Welcome to the world of deadheading!
Deadheading sounds like a serious business, but it’s actually super-simple. All you do is remove any drooping or dead flower heads, plus any seed heads that the plant has formed. When you do this, you stop the plant setting seed, which in turn stimulates it to make more lovely flowers.
You can use your fingers or a pair of *snips to deadhead your plants. Try to do it on a regular basis; as well as keeping the time required to a minimum, this will help to keep your containers looking neat and tidy.
I hope this guide to the most popular trailing plants for hanging baskets and pots helps you to create some amazing container displays. If you’ve got any top tips for container gardening please do share them in the comments 🙂
More container gardening resources
Here are some more container gardening blog resources that you might find useful.
