Hanging baskets are practical and add colour to gardens

FLOWERS at any level are a beauty to behold but there’s just something extra appealing about the bright colourful flowers that fall freely from hanging baskets. With hanging baskets the fusion of colour is also at eye level which enhances their overall appeal when it comes to fragrance, design and elegance.

Hanging baskets, in recent years, have tended to become more a commercial venture with mainly shops, pubs and public buildings using them as form of summer embellishment. But it’s time the domestic gardener reclaimed the wonder of the hanging basket again.

All you need to do is hang brackets on garden walls and near windows and doors to make the most of the scent and visual impact. If you can’t drill, don’t worry as you can hang them from garden fencing once a good hook is at the other end of the basket’s chain.

The reason hanging baskets are so popular on a commercial level is because they return a fantastic splash of colour and are low maintenance. The same principle should also apply to the domestic gardener. They’re real easy to prepare and can be fitted with a permeable liner. Just fill with a mixture of quality compost and soil (the soil will prevent the compost from drying too quickly and it also makes for better drainage and gives the soil more substance). The next stage is the best bit - selecting the flowers! Geraniums, pansies, firecrackers, lo- belias, begonias, petunias and some nice hanging fuchsias… it’s just a matter of taste which is entirely up to you.

Garden centres are a great help and will kindly assist you in your selection of flowers. Garden centres may also have hanging baskets already made up and ready to go. And if you’re feeling really ambitious why not grow some baby tomatoes in a hanging basket? The variety ‘Tumbling Tom’ is easy to grow and will give you a plentiful supply of fresh tomatoes throughout the summer.

Hanging baskets are very attractive and can be ideal for gardeners who may be suffering from back trouble and can no longer spend hours in the garden stooping over. So don’t just hang about, get the basket started!