Hanging planters make every day feel sunnier
The latest gardening trend: elevating blooms to give your space— and you— a lift!
Fancy up a fence with a blooming basket
A raised planter filled with a variety of daisies is the perfect way to add texture and color to a tall fence or bare corner. “And the rustic look of the wicker basket adds a natural, farmhouse style,” notes Chris Lambton, host of DIY Network’s Yard
Crashers. “Daisies are easy to care for,” he assures. “The most important thing is to deadhead flowers to promote the growth of more blooms throughout the season.” Hang the basket in a sunny spot and water the blooms when the soil dries out.
Perk up a porch with a floating garden
Suspending small pots of hyacinths creates a charming display that will brighten any area of your home or yard—without taking up much space. To add visual interest to the arrangement, tuck different sizes of the same type of flower— like the traditional tall hyacinths and shorter grape hyacinths shown here—in one container. For a balanced display, place the larger blooms in the pot first, then nestle the smaller ones around the perimeter. The key to healthy hyacinths is to keep the soil moist, says Lambton. And since the grape varieties are known to spread, it’s a good idea to snip blooms as they fade—this will keep the plant from overtaking the container.
Say welcome with a burlap “pot”
A burlap sack overflowing with dianthus adds color to an entryway without creating clutter, Lambton says. And repurposing the burlap into a planter adds an unexpected, rustic element. “The simplicity of the burlap allows the beauty of the flower to speak for itself,” explains Lambton, who suggests sticking to a single type and color of bloom to avoid overcomplicating the arrangement. To replicate this display, line a burlap sack with plastic and drop a flowerpot inside. Place in a spot that gets full to partial sun and let the soil dry out between waterings.