SUMMER BASKETS AND WINDOW BOXES - "BITS AND BOBS" - 2015

Thank you, Our Mandy

 

I still havnt decided what "bits & bobs " to go in the baskets I went sort of a mix of cool and hot colours last year .
Still lots of time though ...

great thread Armandii

Spruce

 

I don't know what I'm doing with mine yet, it's a job I don't like as it's fiddly and I lose patience.

 

Have you tried something like these Sheal? I find them dead easy

 

Thanks but sorry Freddy, they're no good to me as the wind will take them. I have semi-circular metal ones screwed to my house walls. The baskets themselves are not a problem, it's the fiddly job of planting them up, I just don't enjoy it.

I worked for a nursery some years back and avoided the basket planting whenever I could.

 

@Sheal ... baskets are not obligatory when you garden for pleasure

I have a wire chicken egg holder that is redundant and I'm thinking I might just fill it with (can't think of the name but it's a succulent of some kind which goes leggy but with pretty little yellow flowers). My way of recycling the egg basket and having a hanging basket which won't require constant attention

 

The problem is my bungalow is long width-ways and not having baskets at the front makes it look so bare. The footpath is right against the walls so I can't plant anything immediately in front. Although my rose bed helps to break the bareness up, the roses aren't tall enough on their own.

 

Righto

 

Sheal , I keep my baskets very simple these days . I grow trailing Wave petunias from seed for the sunny spots . I put 6 in a 14" basket . For the shady spots trailing begonias and fuchsias , 3 begonias and 2 fuchsias to a 14" cone . Reliable plants which look good through to November. Just need to dead head the petunias , Begonias look after them selves.

 

Thank you @Harry S - you told me what I needed to know and you didn't even know I needed to know it!

 

Can we add window boxes to this? I don't have hanging baskets. It seems to be the law in our village to have red geraniums in your window boxes, with French marigolds an acceptable alternative. I'm rebelling this year and going for something completely different. I'm guessing that whatever goes in a hanging basket can go in a window box? I have 6 windows at the front to dress so will be interested in everyone's ideas and pinching quite a few of them. I'm going for lots of riotous colour . The front of my house is north facing with sun mostly in the morning

 

Begonias and Busy Lizzies will both be happy with those conditions.

 

Maskotka tomatoes are going in my hanging baskets and I think I'll go with fuchsias on the more shady sides. I'm keeping it simple too. I think I made it too complicated last year plus I'm not going below 14" baskets.....smaller than that proved to be a pain when watering even with water retaining gel.

 

Agree, mine are 12" and even using the gel stuff they dried out SO quickly. Shan't bother with gel again, was no help at all.