Hanging baskets are such an easy way to add some interest and colour to any space – they can transform walls and fences plus add an extra dimension to your garden. They burst with colour throughout the summer and you can fill them with frost hardy flowers and even evergreens over the winter.

Top tips for a top basket  

1. A 12in basket or 14inch basket works well  

2. Use a good quality compost    

3. Think about the symmetry of the basket    

4. Select colours that work together

5. Choose 3 to 4 different plants   A plant in the middle gives height while plants on the outside trail over the sides of the basket

How to plant an Autumn hanging basket

Firstly, you can make it easier on yourself by using a plant pot to sit your hanging basket in while you are making it up. Make sure you cover the inside of the basket with a liner.  There are lots of liners to choose from, moss has a natural look, felt is easy to use and also will look fairly natural.  Fill the basket with a shallow layer (2.5cm) of hanging basket compost and at the soil level make three cuts, about 2cm across, through the liner spread equally around the basket.

Now select trailing plants for hanging baskets to use on the sides of the autumn hanging basket, e.g. Trailing winter pansies, violas etc and insert the plant root through the hole you’ve just cut. 

Take some care doing this as it is important not to damage your plants and to make sure the roots are fully inserted through the liner into the compost or the plants will not survive.

Add more compost until the basket is two thirds full, and compact down firmly.  This will help the basket retain water.   Cut three more slits in the liner, in the gaps between the last layer of plants, and plant three more autumn hanging basket plants.  Top up with a final layer of compost and plant the top of the basket with upright autumn bedding plants or dwarf evergreen plants for winter long interest.

  You can even plant a few early flowering bulbs such as Daffodil Tete a Tete or Crocus.

Water the plants thoroughly but gently, over the next few weeks, and don’t allow the compost to dry out.

After 6 weeks feed your baskets and then repeat every 2 weeks. Finally, treat your baskets like miniature gardens and deadhead regularly to encourage fresh blooms.