Wendy’s Wanderings

Elevate Your Garden with Hanging Baskets

March 12, 2025

This year, spring officially begins on March 20th at 5 a.m., but my spring fever kicked in about three weeks ago. Defined as a feeling of restlessness and excitement at the start of spring, my version of this seasonal energy manifests in an urgent need to fill my yard with plants and flowers. My landscape beds are already mapped out for a refresh, but this year, I want to bring color and interest up to eye level. It’s time to give my hanging baskets some extra attention.

Hanging baskets are a fantastic way to decorate porches, decks, and outdoor spaces. They can feature a single type of plant for a striking effect or a mix of varieties for a lush, layered look. One of my favorite approaches is the classic “thriller, filler, spiller” method—choosing a bold centerpiece plant (the thriller), complementary medium-sized plants (the filler), and trailing plants that cascade over the edges (the spiller).

If you’re starting from scratch, the first step is selecting the right container. The traditional metal-framed basket lined with coconut coir provides excellent drainage but requires frequent watering. Plastic hanging baskets are widely available and, in my experience, those with built-in water reservoirs help reduce watering demands. Speaking of watering—this is one of the biggest challenges with hanging baskets. Depending on your potting mix and the summer heat, daily watering may be necessary during the hottest, driest months.

For the best results, use a well-draining potting mix—notice I said potting mix and not potting soil. A lightweight blend with plenty of perlite or vermiculite ensures good aeration and moisture retention without becoming waterlogged. When filling your basket, leave about an inch of space below the rim to allow room for watering and root expansion.

Plant selection is key to a thriving hanging basket. As always, keep your Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ training in mind by choosing plants suited to your specific growing conditions and grouping those with similar water and maintenance needs. Many annuals that thrive in garden beds also perform beautifully in hanging baskets. Petunias, geraniums, torenia, and periwinkles provide long-lasting color, while coleus, begonias, and caladiums add striking foliage. For trailing plants, consider blue daze, sweet potato vine, creeping Jenny, or silver falls dichondra to create that elegant cascading effect. Tropical plants can serve as a focal point, with seasonal annuals swapped in for bursts of color throughout the year.

With the right plant choices and a little regular care, hanging baskets can transform your outdoor space into a vibrant, eye-catching retreat. Whether you’re adorning a front porch or adding flair to a patio, these suspended gardens are an easy way to bring nature closer to eye level. So why not embrace your own case of spring fever and get planting? Your baskets will soon be brimming with life, color, and the joy of the season.

— Wendy Wilber