Exciting plants to give the patio an immediate boost Hanging baskets
If you have empty hanging baskets waiting for summer, plant some up now because May is still a long way away! Ivies are easy trailing plants to instantly flow over the edges, violas will add some warm colour to remind you of summer and there are a world of options for taller plants for the middle of the basket.
Potted daffodils make a good centrepiece, albeit a fairly short-lived one. For a shrubby centrepiece try a small-leaved hebe or dwarf conifer. Or for something wispy, try a slender evergreen grass such as Carex
‘Bronze Form’. Mix a handful of grit into the compost (use multi-purpose compost with a couple of handfuls of John Innes) and check for water regularly because baskets can easily dry out. Re-house the plants in the garden or in new containers at the end of spring if you want the basket space for your summer favourites.