Create Stunning Hanging Baskets Use these easy plant-by-numbers recipe

Create Stunning Hanging Baskets

Use these easy plant-by-numbers recipes to put together the most beautiful hanging baskets in your neighborhood.

By Kelly Roberson

reate Stunning Hanging Baskets

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 3 of 28

Make a Statement with Bold Colors

It's tough to pick which is brighter -- the hot pink or the bold gold. Either way, they're great colors to catch the eye from a block away. Up
close, the mix of bloom sizes creates visual interest on a more subtle
level. Tip: If your home is set back on your lot, choose bright colors to create more impact from the street.

A. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Designer Cherry') -- 1
B. Swan river daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia 'Mini Yellow') -- 1
C. Nirembergia 'Purple Robe' -- 3
D. Marigold (Tagetes 'Lemon Gem') -- 3
E. Petunia 'Supercascade Rose' -- 1

reate Stunning Hanging Baskets

By Kelly Roberson

Select Soft Colors

If bold, traffic-stopping colors aren't for you, put together a basket full of elegance with soft, pastel colors. (Soft shades of pink,
lavender, and blue are especially useful for helping hot, exposed spots
seem a bit cooler.) Here, trailing plants, such as verbena create a soft, beautiful display perfect for gardens of any style -- from cottage to formal. This basket is best in full sun.

A. Verbena 'Tuscany Lavender Picotee' -- 3
B. Wax begonia (Begonia 'Nightlife Rose') -- 4
C. Browallia speciosa -- 3

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By Kelly Roberson

Slide 5 of 28

Pick an Unusual Plant

While geraniums and petunias are classic favorites, don't be afraid to take a chance with a new plant to create baskets your friends will ooh-and-ahh over. Here, butterfly orchid, an underused but long-blooming tomato relative, does the job perfectly. Grow it in sun. Tip: Do your research before growing a new plant so you can be sure it's appropriate for your
spot.

A. Schizanthus 'Treasure Trove' series -- 5
B. Cyclamen 'Laser White' -- 2

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 6 of 28

Pick Drought-Resistant Plants

Create a virtually no-care container with succulents. We've found the biggest challenge of growing beautiful hanging baskets is keeping them from drying out. You can make maintenance a breeze with a planting of drought-tolerant hens and chicks, echeveria,
sedum, or other succulents. They're an unusual choice, but require next
to no watering, even in hot, sunny situations.

A. Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) -- 1

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 7 of 28

Create a Contrast

Even though they're old-fashioned, geraniums are still a top pick for hot, sunny spots -- and they mix well with just about everything. (No wonder
they're tried-and-true favorites.) This red geranium is dressed up with
a flowing skirt of draping ivy and blue lobelia and a top hat of a
simple dracaena for a classic look.

A. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Designer Cherry') -- 1
B. Dracaena marginata -- 1
C. Lobelia 'Waterfall Blue' -- 4
D. Ivy (Hedera helix) -- 3

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 8 of 28

Contrast Colors

Create a "wow" moment by using colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. Here, for example, rich purple makes a stunning contrast
to golden-chartreuse. This basket does best in full sun. By the way:
This container looks as good as it smells; heliotrope is one of the
most fragrant flowers you can use in hanging baskets.

A. Licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight') -- 2
B. Heliotrope (Heliotropium 'Marine') -- 2
C. Torenia 'Summer Wave Blue' -- 2
D. Vinca major 'Wojo's Jem' -- 3
E. Clerodendrum thompsoniae -- 1

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 9 of 28

Use Soft Textures

Plants with small foliage and flowers create a fine texture that adds a touch of subtlety to your landscape. We love this simple but effective combination -- it's like a touch of snow in summer. This basket is best in full sun.

A. Swan River daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia) -- 3
B. Bacopa (Sutera 'Snowstorm') -- 3
C. Asparagus fern (Asparagus sprengeri) -- 1

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 10 of 28

Select Super Bloomers

Lights. Camera. Action! Super bloomers like sun-loving verbena and calibrachoa are ready to start putting on a show as soon as you plant them. They're dependable performers and will keep up their starring role in your landscape all summer long.

A. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Purple' -- 2
B. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum 'Luminaire Yellow') -- 2
C. Verbena 'Aztec Cherry Red' -- 2

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 11 of 28

Try Contrasting Colors

Here's another great example of how you can use contrasting colors to add an eye-catching display to your garden. Orange and purple are a no-fail mix that will leave your friends complimenting your color-combining skills.

A. Osteospermum 'Symphony Orange' -- 2
B. Licorice vine (Helichrysum petiolare) -- 2
C. Bacopa (Sutera 'Abunda Blue') -- 2
D. Verbena 'Aztec Grape Magic'

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 12 of 28

Consult the Color Wheel

Another secret that interior and garden designers often use is to mix colors that jump a couple of spots on the color wheel. Here, for example, pale yellow adds subtle interest to
this otherwise pink-red color combo of sun-loving calibrachoa and
verbena.

A. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Light Pink' -- 2
B. Bidens 'Solaire' -- 2
C. Verbena 'Patio Hot Pink' -- 2

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 13 of 28

Use Soft Colors to Create a Romantic Look

Color can affect your mood -- so use it to your advantage. This is a great example; pastel shades of lavender and fuchsia pop with a bit of white
to create a soft, romantic look in a sunny spot. The soothing combo is
perfect for your favorite spot to relax with a good book and glass of lemonade.

A. Calibrachoa 'Flamingo' -- 2
B. Petunia 'Supertunia Priscilla' -- 2
C. Verbena 'Wildfire White' -- 2

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 14 of 28

Create a Mound of Color

See the difference accent colors make? This container uses some of the same plants as the last one, but the warm, glowing shades create a
completely different look. This exciting combo is well suited to a spot
where you entertain (like a deck or patio) because of its energizing colors.

A. Petunia 'Supertunia Priscilla' -- 2
B. Verbena 'Aztec Silver Magic' -- 2
C. Calibrachoa 'Starlette Yellow' -- 2
D. Diascia 'Diamonte Apricot' -- 2

By Kelly Roberson

Slide 15 of 28

Create Interest with Rich Colors

You can't go wrong with any of the petunias in the Wave series for tons of flower power on an easy-growing plant for the sun. We're enamored with the rich, deep color of 'Easy Wave Blue' -- it's a showstopper by itself or combined with softer, lighter
colors for a bit of contrast.

A. Petunia Easy Wave Blue -- 1
B. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret White' -- 2
C. Diascia 'Salmon Supreme' -- 2

Kelly Roberson

Slide 16 of 28

Have Fun with Neat Plants

A lavender-blue streptocarpella (an African violet relative, actually) is intriguing enough that your guests won't be able to resist taking a
closer look. This nonstop bloomer is a perfect companion for anything
orange or yellow -- such as the glowing orange osteospermum here. Tip:
Streptocarpella is a cinch to propagate. Just pinch off new growth tips
and pot them up in a little potting soil. They'll root in a couple of weeks.

A. Streptocarpella 'Concord Blue' -- 2
B. Bacopa (Sutera 'Snowstorm') -- 2
C. Osteospermum 'Orange Symphony' -- 2