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Flower basket plants


10 Best Flowers for Hanging Baskets

Attract Butterflies and Hummingbirds With Hanging Plants

By

Jamie McIntosh

Jamie McIntosh

Jamie McIntosh has written about gardening and special occasion flowers for the Spruce since 2011. She has more than 20 years of experience caring for flowers and plants. She was a feature writer for Organic Gardening at Suite101, where she won awards for her writing.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 05/24/22

Reviewed by

Debra LaGattuta

Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a gardening expert with three decades of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a Master Gardener and lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce

Do you have a favorite garden flower that always seems to have its head in the dirt, especially after a heavy rain? This flower may be the perfect candidate for planting in a hanging basket. Many flowers suitable for hanging baskets are pendulous, top-heavy, or creeping—characteristics that can be a challenge in a garden but perfect for decorative display in a container at eye level or higher.

Plants with tiny or fragrant flowers also benefit from a lofty perch because it maximizes their proximity to our senses. Some hanging basket flowers even attract butterflies or hummingbirds, giving you a close-up view of wildlife antics on your porch, deck, or patio.

Tip

Flowers in containers typically need extra feeding because frequent watering washes away the soil's nutrients. For many flowering plants, a weekly feeding with half-strength liquid fertilizer keeps them blooming their best.

10 Best Flowers for Hanging Baskets

Watch Now: Our Favorite Flowers for Hanging Baskets

20 Best Hanging Basket Flowers

Accessorizing a porch, patio or deck with beautiful hanging basket flowers is a great way to maximize your outdoor space. Combine plants with upright, mounding or trailing habits for a “thriller, spiller, filler” effect. Mix and match varieties with flowers and foliage in different shapes and colors. Move baskets around the yard or switch out new plants for a fresh look all summer long.

Contributors: Janet Loughrey

Shop for annuals online

1.

Petunia

Supertunia Mini Vista® Pink Star

Showy pink and white striped flowers bloom continuously from planting to frost on sturdy stems up to 24” long. This vigorous grower with a full mounding habit can function as a filler or spiller element in a hanging planter or container. Use by itself or in combination with other trailing annuals. 

Annual except in zones 10-11, part sun to sun, 6-12” tall.

See All Supertunia Mini Vista®Petunia

2.

Calibrachoa

Superbells®Tropical Sunrise

Bring the tropics to your yard with the warm sunset hues of this prolific bloomer. Nonstop color occurs from planting until frost, with self-cleaning flowers on trailing branches up to 18” long. Give plants an occasional shear for better branching and a fuller appearance.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 6-12” tall.

See All Superbells® Calibrachoa


3. 

Browallia

Endless™ Illumination

Browallia expands the list of options for shade, and Endless® Illumination is a beautiful alternative to Impatiens walleriana. Brilliant violet purple blooms dot the emerald green foliage all season long without deadheading. This flowering annual loves the heat and does not require much fertilization to thrive. Try mixing it with Rockapulco® Double Impatiens and Catalina® Torenia for colorful shade baskets.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part shade to shade, 12-16” tall.

See All Endless™ Browallia

4.

Lobularia

Blushing Princess®

Sweetly scented pale lavender flowers of sweet alyssum add a delicate touch to baskets and containers. Mounding plants produce long stems that cascade up to 36” long. Plant by itself in a large basket or combine with other similarly vigorous moisture-loving annuals such as petunia, nemesia or calibrachoa.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 10-16” tall.

See All Sweet Alyssum

5.

Begonia

Double Delight®Primrose

Fragrant double yellow flowers with apricot overtones bloom prolifically throughout summer. The full cascading habit makes this a perfect choice for hanging baskets. The Double Delight series is surprisingly sun tolerant in cooler climates, but prefers some shade in the South. Use as a stand-alone accent or in combination with trailing plants such as Silver Falls™ dichondra or wishbone flower.  

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 8-14” tall.

See All Begonia

6.

Double Impatiens

Rockapulco® Orange Shades

Brighten up a patio or porch with baskets of flowers in tones of brilliant orange, salmon and peach. Charming rosebud flowers are long blooming and self-cleaning. Plant this reliable shade lover alongside brightly hued varieties of coleus, caladium or sweet potato vine for an extra pop of color.

Annual except in zones 10-11, part shade to shade, 10-20” tall.

See All Rockapulco® Double Impatiens 

7.

Lobelia

Laguna®Sky Blue

Ethereal sky blue flowers go with a wide range of color schemes, complementing cool-hued plants or contrasting bolder colors. This well-branched flowering plant develops a full cascading habit up to 24” long that is perfect for hanging baskets. More heat tolerant than older lobelia varieties, plants can be trimmed back to encourage fresh growth and blooms.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 6-12” tall.

See All Laguna® Lobelia


8.

Lantana

Luscious® Citrus Blend™

Vibrant flower clusters in warm tones of yellow, orange and red attract hummingbirds, butterflies and other insect pollinators. Place in a sunny spot in a hanging basket by itself or in combination with other heat and drought tolerant plants such as Cuphea, Gaillardia or Salvia.

Annual except in zones 9-11, sun, 20-30” tall, deer resistant.

See All Luscious® Lantana


9. Pelargonium

Boldly®Dark Red

Geraniums are classic bedding plants that make beautiful thrillers and fillers in hanging baskets. Combine the velvety red flowers of this variety with blue lobelia and white bacopa for a patriotic theme. Easy to grow, this variety has a full mounding habit that’s suitable for baskets, by itself or with other moderately vigorous annuals. Deadhead for continuous bloom. Heat and drought tolerant.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 10-12” tall.

See All Boldly®Geraniums


10.

Bacopa

Snowstorm® Giant Snowflake®

Snow white flowers lend classic elegance as a spiller element in containers or hanging baskets. Plants trail up to 36” long and bloom continuously from summer until frost. Combine with other full sun annuals such as Supertunia petunia, Superbena verbena or Superbells calibrachoa. Keep plants watered consistently, as drying out can cycle them out of bloom.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 4-8” tall.

See All Snowstorm®Bacopa


11.

Euphorbia

Diamond Frost®

This low maintenance plant blooms with clouds of airy white flowers all season. Combines easily with many kinds of plants, weaving its wiry stems in and out, poking its airy white flowers throughout the combination similar to baby's breath in a bouquet. 

Annual except in zones 10-11, part sun to sun, 12-18” tall.

See All Euphorbias 

12.

Nemesia

Sunsatia®Lemon

Pale yellow orchid-like flowers pair well with other hanging basket plants such as lobelia, calibrachoa, verbena and sweet potato vine. Provide good drainage and an occasional light trim to keep plants perky. Blooms best in spring and fall when weather is cooler but is more heat tolerant than many nemesias. 

Annual except in zones 10-11, part sun to sun, 6-10” tall.

See All Sunsatia® Nemesia

13.

Scaevola

Whirlwind®Blue

If you're looking for a flower that performs well in heat, blooms well all season without deadheading, and attracts pollinators, then this unfussy fan flower is a good choice. Pair it with other heat and drought tolerant plants such as lantana, Texas primrose and gomphrena in container recipes where it will act primarily as a spiller.

Annual except in zones 10-11, sun, 8-14" tall.

See All Whirlwind® Scaevola

14.

Angelonia

Angelface® Cascade Snow

The cascading habit of the Angelface® Cascade angelonia makes it perfectly suited for hanging baskets and combinations where it functions as both a filler and spiller. The plants have height on the top of the pot, but then cascade over the edge to 20" long. Their heat tolerance makes them an excellent choice for gardeners who live in climates with hot summers.

Annual except in zones 10-11, sun, 8-14” tall.

See all Angelface® Cascade Angelonia

 

15.

Double Calibrachoa

Superbells®Double Twilight™

Similar to single-flowered calibrachoa, this gorgeous double-flowered variety is an ideal plant for growing in hanging baskets where it will act as a filler and spiller. It blooms from planting time until frost with no need to remove the spent flowers to keep the flowers coming. Try pairing it with Angelface Cascade angelonia, Luscious lantana and Diamond Frost euphorbia.

Annual except in zones 9-11, part sun to sun, 6-12” tall.

See all Superbells® Double Calibrachoa

 

16.

Jamesbrittenia

Safari™Sky

This relative of Bacopa acts as a filler in hanging baskets paired with other heat loving plants like sweet potato vine and Superbena verbena. It blooms through the heat and humidity without cycling out of flower and holds up well through summer thunderstorms. 

Annual except in zones 10-11, part sun to sun, 6-12 tall.

See All Safari™ Jamesbrittenia

 

17.

Verbena rigida

Cake Pops® Purple

We are excited to introduce this series of durable Verbena rigida hybrids that make great fillers for low maintenance container recipes. These mounded trailing plants are perfect for growing in hot, humid climates since they won’t cycle out of bloom in the extreme heat of summer and are drought tolerant. Hummingbirds and butterflies will flock to the blossoms clustered at the tips of each branch all summer.

Annual except in zones 7-10, sun, 10-18” tall.

See All Cake Pops®Verbena rigida

 

18.

Petunia

Supertunia® Lovie Dovie™

Supertunia petunias are one of the best hanging basket plants around. They come in a rainbow of colors, including fun patterns and flowers with prominent veins that add even more color. Supertunias don't need deadheading. They bloom nonstop as they trail over the edges of their pots and provide months of color. Superbells® Calibrachoa, Superbena® Verbena and Supertunia® Petunias are a classic trio to create fantastic hanging baskets. 

Annual except in zones 10-11, part sun to sun, 4-12” tall.

See All Supertunia® Petunias

19.

Calylophus

Ladybird®Sunglow

This unique flower with native Texas roots thrives in hot, humid or dry conditions and is drought tolerant once established. Cooler nights enhance its flowering performance. Pair this mounded trailing filler plant with other heat tolerant annuals like Blue My Mind evolvulus, Cake Pops verbena and Superbells calibrachoa.

Annual except in zones 8-10, sun, 4-8” tall.

See All Ladybird®Calylophyus

20.

Verbena

Superbena® Imperial Blue™

It's hard to pass up the deep blue-purple flowers of this amazing Superbena. The clear, vivid color is easy to coordinate with your other favorite flowers such as Supertunia petunia and sweet alyssum in combinations. Like all our Superbena verbenas, it produces large flower clusters all season without deadheading and is exceptionally resistant to powdery mildew.

Annual except in zones 8-11, part sun to sun, 6-12” tall.

See All Superbena®Verbena

Shop for annuals online

Learn more:

Petunia Hanging Baskets

Hanging Basket Recipes

Yellow Flowers

Hanging Basket Watering & Care

Ask a Question or Give Feedback about this article.

Flower baskets with your own hands - design rules

Contents

  1. Rules for designing flower baskets
  2. Choosing a flower basket according to the shape of the composition
  3. Choosing flower baskets according to purpose
  4. The procedure for creating a flower basket

    5. time to decorate the modern interior. Baskets can be of various shapes and sizes - from miniature (sometimes replacing the bride's wedding bouquet) to large - outdoor, used for the festive hall, stage and other interiors.

    Flower baskets are made from wicker, birch bark, straw, bamboo, less often from metal wire and polyamide threads.

    The assortment of cut flowers for decorating flower baskets is very rich. For large festive ones - roses, gladioli, carnations, callas, chrysanthemums, lilies; for small gifts - miniature roses, viola, lilies of the valley, daisies, forget-me-nots.

    Potted plants are also used for flower baskets - cineraria, calceolaria, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, saintpaulias, pelargoniums, primroses.

    Decorate the flower basket with decorative leafy plants - leaves of asparagus, maidenhair, croton, dieffenbachia, butcus, cryptomeria, arborvitae; in summer they also use mahonia branches, for example, barberry thunberg, oak, spirea, svidina.

    Various light grasses, climbing and hanging plants are also suitable for decorating a flower basket.

    5-6 types of greens (but not flower plants) can be used in one such flower arrangement. Funeral baskets are best decorated with flower plants of the same species and variety, the assortment of greenery is also strict and limited.

    Choosing a flower basket according to the shape of the composition

    When designing flower baskets, the arranger is guided by the general principles of composing flower compositions in relation to proportions, combinations of color tone, saturation and lightness of color, accent and other elements of the composition.

    The main forms of flower arrangements in the basket are the same as for bouquets - triangular, round, oval, S and L shaped, crescent. They can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.

    The choice of form is often prompted by the plants themselves, their structure, size, nature of inflorescences.

    Before proceeding with the design of a flower basket, the arranger must choose a certain shape and mentally keep it in mind during the work as a template that is generally followed when showing creativity in floristry.

    Selection of flower baskets according to purpose

    Flower baskets are used when honoring anniversaries, for presenting to favorite artists, festive decoration of halls, ceremonial meetings, stage decoration, shop windows, halls, foyers.

    Also for mourning ceremonies, depending on the size, you can embellish your house or apartment, make a floral corner for relaxation.

    The choice of the shape of the basket and the color of the flower plants is determined by the size of the room, the nature of the event, and the wishes of the client.

    Baskets intended as a gift for men and women differ in color: for women it is richer, more often pink and burgundy; for men, the gamma is stricter, usually red tones.

    A crescent-shaped composition in a basket with a good center of perception is often given as a gift to newlyweds at a wedding. Flower baskets with potted plants are usually given as gifts to the elderly.

    How to create a flower basket

    The bottom and walls of the basket are lined with a double layer of cellophane or polyethylene film. If the film has a certain color and will carry a decorative function, then its color should be in harmony with the flower plants.

    The flower basket is filled with a filler that will hold the flowers in the right direction and ensure the flow of water to them. Such a filler can be perlite, sand, peat, earth, moss, sawdust.

    The best filler is piaflor pre-moistened with water, but this material is expensive and rarely available.

    In the absence of perlite, perlite is considered the most effective material for stuffing baskets, as it takes any shape well and easily absorbs water. Perlite is better than earth, peat, as it is lighter and holds water better, it is more convenient to work with it.

    In perlite, flowers last longer than two to three days, but the duration of their freshness depends on lighting, temperature and other factors.

    It is better not just to fill a flower basket with perlite or other listed materials, but first place them in a plastic bag, stuffing it tightly like a pillow.

    Thinner polyethylene is preferred for easy piercing by flower stalks.

    Before filling the bag, perlite must be moistened without removing it from its original packaging, as it easily rises into the air and, if inhaled, can cause slight discomfort.

    Sand, peat and other aggregates can be wetted directly in the bag.

    Useful used perlite is successfully used for stuffing pillows, especially after plant cuttings, mixed with foam and earth.

    After wetting, stuff the bag very tightly with perlite, tie it up and lower it into the basket with the knot down. The pillow should be made small, since it must be remembered that the wider the pillow, the harder it is to work with it.

    However, be aware that the plants must be immersed in it to a depth of at least 10-12 cm, otherwise they will fall out of the basket. Do not forget about an increase of two centimeters on both sides of the pillow for decorating with greenery.

    If the flower basket is very large, then you can not fill its entire capacity with filler, but fix two pillows on the sides of the basket. It is better if they are not the same size.

    You can make them into elongated triangles and attach them to the base of the basket handles. If the basket is of medium size, then one pillow is often enough. They usually put it off center.

    You can also attach the cushion to the side of the basket and even to the top.

    If the basket is small, then not the entire plastic bag is used, but only its corner, which is previously cut off from the bag, then stuffed with filler, tied and lowered into the basket with the tied end.

    Depending on the shape of the composition chosen, the cushion is sometimes placed so that its upper part protrudes above the basket's capacity.

    Preparing flowers for arranging a flower basket means giving them a good drink beforehand. Leaves and thorns (in roses) are removed to keep the flowers fresh.

    Only 2 sometimes 3 top sheets are left, all the rest are cut off. At the carnation, the lower nodes are cleaned with a knife and even slightly trimmed.

    For flowers, leaves, and branches, before placing in the basket, a long oblique cut is made at the bottom to better pierce the pillow and increase the area for moisture to enter the plant.

    Weak petioles can be wrapped with adhesive tape or a thin wire can be inserted inside and wrapped around the stem.

    The decoration of the pillow starts with the greenery that determines the dimensions of the flower basket. Greens are divided into 2 types - calm (calla leaves) and restless (nephrolepis, asparagus).

    It is not recommended to install greens of the same type side by side, it is better to alternate them in a circle. Greens must be collected in pairs or in bunches.

    In each pair of leaves, the smaller one is set, the larger one behind. The handle of the flower basket should be open on the side from which it will be taken by hand.

    Creating flower baskets requires a lot of strength and skill, and no less important is the creative component of the personality.

    For those who do not have enough time or desire due to various reasons, it is always possible to order a flower basket from professional florists.

    Flower baskets for any celebration

    Home Izhevsk Blog Shops. Trade Flower baskets for any occasion

    Author: iforget • Publication date: 06/08/2021

    Flowers are a universal gift. They help in expressing emotions, conveying feelings and attitudes towards the person who is presented with a bouquet. The modern floral variety offered by shops and floristry far exceeds the range of standard compositions that could be found on sale just a few decades ago. Traditional bouquets of roses, chrysanthemums or carnations, in which only the number of buds changed, are now being replaced by luxurious flower ensembles, mono-bouquets of plants that no one knew about before.

    No less delighted is the way the compositions are designed and presented. One of the popular options for bouquets for an anniversary or a major celebration is a flower basket. A large selection of holiday compositions for every taste is presented on the website https://magicalflower.ru/ of the MagicalFlower online store.

    Features of flower arrangements in a basket

    Flower baskets emphasize the special significance and solemnity of the event, create a festive atmosphere, demonstrate the attitude of the giver. When making them, there are no restrictions on the choice of shape, size, number of buds, as well as the types and varieties of flowers used.

    Traditionally, the florist selects plants according to the specifics of the order, the client's preferences and the allocated budget. The compositions are based not only on roses, chrysanthemums or irises. Real professionals are able to masterfully arrange an ensemble of forget-me-nots, tulips, carnations and lilies of the valley. Baskets with potted plants look original.

    The size of the basket is selected according to the purpose of the composition. It can be either a small basket handed to the hero of the occasion, or floor options ordered to decorate a stage or hall. Unique creations are given a round, triangular, oval shape. To place flowers, baskets made of birch bark, wicker, bamboo or straw are used. To preserve the shape of the composed composition, as well as to prolong the freshness of the buds, a floral sponge impregnated with a special filler, placed on the bottom of the basket, allows.

    How to order a flower basket

    Ordering a flower basket on the website of an online store is no different from a regular bouquet. In the corresponding section of the catalog, you must choose the design option you like, the composition and number of flower buds.

    It may take 2-4 hours to complete the basket and deliver it, depending on the complexity of the composition and the delivery address. If there are nuances in the design, it is better to order a flower basket by phone, explaining in detail to the manager all the features. If the bouquet is made up of rare plants, you should take care of the application a few days before the scheduled date of delivery.

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