As the old saying goes “April showers bring May flowers!”  Well, check your calendar – it’s the first week of May and I’ve got hanging flower baskets on my mind.

I don’t consider myself a gardener – hanging baskets seem more like decorating than gardening to me.  I love the color and lushness they bring to my outdoor room (yes, I love outdoor rooms – for inspiration read this).

Photo marthastewart.com

Inspiring Flower Baskets

Better Homes and Gardens has over two dozen beautiful hanging baskets online with “easy plant by number recipes.”  Spot a basket you love and they tell you what plants are in it.  Below are just a few of their offerings.

Photo bhg.com

Fuchsia is a timeless favorite.  I remember loving to “pop” the closed blossom on my Grandmother’s plants until she figured out what I was doing and I was promptly stopped!

Photo bhg.com

Two different colors of Impatiens produce a verdant hanging globe of flowers.

Photo bhg.com

I had Million Bells last year in my baskets for the first time.  Instead of purple, like those in the photo, mine were orange.

Photo bhg.com

Here Million Bells join  forces with red Geraniums and white Snap Dragons for a colorful display and mix of shapes.

Photo bhg.com

If you prefer draught tolerant plants, create a hanging basket like this using Hens and Chicks – or other sedums.  The plants themselves are like a flower.

Photo bhg.com

This pretty pink basket highlights Tuberous Begonias, light and dark pink Impatiens, and Sweet Alyssum.

Instructions for Planting Baskets

Even if you’ve never planted a hanging flower basket before, you can do it!  First take a tour of all the lovely baskets at Better Homes and Gardens to decide which type of flowers you’re drawn too (I’ve only shown a few of the baskets here).

Then learn how to plant a hanging basket.  The city of Victoria, British Columbia is known internationally for their fabulous baskets (Terrie and I took a wonderful trip there many years ago and saw them for ourselves!) and they offer a PDF  about their flowers and step-by-step instructions on how to create your own flower baskets. 

Photo finegardening.com

And Fine Gardening also offers a slide show with tips for making big, beautiful hanging baskets.

My Baskets and Yours

My hanging baskets are nothing to ooh and ahh over right now as I’ve used small starter plants – red Geraniums, white Snap Dragons and dark purple trailing Petunias.  But I’ve got high hopes that when summer hits they’ll be big blossom balls of color around the perimeter of my outdoor room.

What about you?  Will you be hanging flower baskets at your place?  If so, what type of flowers will be decorating your home?

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