Whiley proof hanging baskets - ideas?

A lot of the books are very into chucking all sorts into a basket, this which looks like that at this time of year with that doing that but you have to do that to it in the spring, and that dies after so long and blah blah blah... I baffled myself.

So, with these things in mind, what should i aim for? As i have 4 hanging basket points, 2 in the back and 2 in the front.

Something which doesnt need much more tending than trimming back and watering.
Super duper colourful and trail-y.
Has at least a few years in it without me having delve in there.
Should be happy most of the year - mind you can always make seasonal alternative baskets and hang them in the conservatory out of season or something??

Suggestions plus care instructions please :D :D

 

Whiley, if there was a plant THAT perfect, we wouldn,t need any other A weed maybe, Naaaa..
Someone might come up with a all year low maintenance no looking after pretty but I aint got a clue haha, Oooh Ivy, Its a Start Still great to have you back .. love Dee..

 

I saw a neighbours with creeping Jenny in it it looked quite lovely, and a periwinkle. The contrasting foliage looked quite eyecatching.

 

I would use a very small leaved ivy, periwinkles (vinca minor, NOT vinca maior) and sempervivums. Actually I intend to do exactly that for my hanging woks, next year. It will never be extra colourful, but it will always looks good.

 

I like periwinkles, definately keeping that option open!

Maybe i'm thinking too extreme, got to give myself gardeny points in the year to look forward to i guess! So rather than completely Whiley proof, how about just plain novice baskets?

What is the general habit with hanging baskets, do most people just use annuals for spring summer baskets, dump the contents then use more annuals for autumn winter baskets?

You can tell this isn't an area i've looked into yet! Eek!

One of my neighbours has some fantastic baskets, actually just fantastic garden, but i can hardly go up there and take photos, maybe i can do it on the sly, hmm.

Mums just asked if i've thought about hanging a trailing geranium... i've not heard of that before, is she off her trolley?

 

I suppose she means a pelargonium, very good plant for summer months, not difficult, just water regúlarly (but it does not need very much water) and feed once in a while.I you have space you can use summer plants (like pelargonium) for summer and keep some baskets in reserve out of the way with ivy and such for winter.

 

Yay! I'm glad you knew! I've just googled them and i'm in love! I adore those. Also, such a newbie direction i imagine, but trailing petunias? I mean, super duper colour. If i dont get those in a basket, i'm tempted to get a dozen pots of them for the patio. To me they just have such a happy expression.

 

Petunias and surfinias are just "the" plants for hanging baskets. They need plenty more water and feeding than pelargoniums, though. I could only have them looking good when I managed to bring drip irrigation in my baskets, but that was in Italy, hot hot hot, may be they are easier in Devon .

Here I planted some as bedding plants to cover up some bare space between shrubs that have to grow and fill out. They are doing very well.

 

Hmm well nothing stopping me having a go! I guess that would be more of a plan for next spring summer though, perhaps i should think about autmn and winter baskets now? When is the usual summer basket to autmn/winter basket swap over time?

 

Depends, if you are keeping your summer plants well fed and watered and regularly deadheaded they will do fine until first frost, if not they may fade to utter shabbiness much earlier. the problem with baskets is that there is usually not much ground to sustain the plants, so they are very much depending on your care.

 

Well, i can have a go i guess! Make sure i'm using the right food and such.

Think i'll pop to town soon and pick up some baskets and see what to put in them

 

Hanging baskets have to be tended everyday or they will go dry and die off, must water daily.







The ones on the shed are in the allotment shed.

 

Oh wow Fancy those are lush!

I've been thinking, frankly, plants shouldn't need Whiley proofing really. Their care should just be an extension of the daily care i give my pets! I think i just need to get into that mind frame and understand the plants needs and develop some sort of plant care diary so i don't forget certain things- i think thats my main worry.

I'm totally in love with those baskets Fancy, what are the contents of them all so i can familiarise myself with them?

 

I struggle with hanging baskets too, only because they seem to need watering morning and evening and much as I do everything esle, I seem to forget them.

Note to self......I must learn to look up when I'm gardening:D

 

Whiley, you also need to sing and talk to them, may be play cd's to them. I know I am crackers but it does the trick.