Create a jumble of flowers for a hanging basket full of cottage-garden charm. It’s also a way of making a big impact and injecting colour into a space. Petunias, geraniums, verbena and diascia all add to this informal scheme.
When planting a hanging basket, choose a colour theme and stick to it – here a strict mix of pink and purple create a traditional look with a modern twist.
Cram as many plants as possible into your basket – that will give you the best possible chance of creating an explosion of flowers.
Use a liner and plastic to line your basket. Make sure both overlap the edges.
Half fill your basket with compost and create holes in the liner to use for plants.
Top up with compost, plant the top of the basket and water well. Cut away excess liner.
In this pretty container display we combine culinary herb rosemary with sweet flag and pretty spring pansies, to dramatic effect. The bright pink pot brings out the bold purple pansy flowers, while the grass and rosemary provide foliage interest. Keep the pot near your back door so you can quickly snip off a sprig of rosemary when you need it.
There are many plants in flower in February that can be used to create an instant spring pot display. Daffodils and primulas go together beautifully, and work well with the contrasting foliage of Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ and a brightly coloured pot. If you buy the plants from a garden centre, they can be planted into the garden after they’ve finished flowering, so you can enjoy them for years to come.
Dahlias come in a fascinating variety of shapes and sizes, and the pom-pom types, with their rows of incurved petals, resemble old-fashioned bathing caps. Dahlia ‘Franz Kafka’ lends itself – ironically, given its name – to a relaxed cottage-garden style, floating like balloons above the feathery foliage of Cosmos ‘Sensation’ and its delicate, pink petals. Use a large container for this display, as this combination of plants reaches 1m in height. Prevent the planting scheme from looking too top h
In this pot design, the graceful astelia and black ophiopogon add structure, while a small-flowered blue pansy or viola unites the blue pot and the plants. You Will Need Ophiopogon planiscapus Nigr