Flowers for Hanging Baskets to Embellish Porches and Balconies
Flowers in hanging baskets embellish any balcony, porch, gazebo or kiosque. The most well known are geraniums and petunias, but there are quite a few others. They naturally grow a rich foliage and a lot of flowers, in a large variety of colors. Here are 5 species of flowers for hanging baskets you can successfully use to spectacularly decorate exterior structures.
Verbena
Verbena grows rich inflorescences, in white, red, pink and purple, often in two colors, from spring till late summer or the beginning of autumn. It needs plenty of sun and water, but also good drainage and it tolerated the drought well too. It can use a slow release fertilizer and it’s good to trim the stems with dry flowers, cutting around one quarter from them.
Flowers for hanging baskets. Calibrachoa
This plant grows hundreds of miniature bell-shaped flowers resembling petunias. Like the latter, it enjoys plenty of sunshine and water and it blooms abundantly when it’s well taken care of. It needs a bit of shade too, when it gets too hot, or the flowers’ colors start fading. When the branches get too long, they should be trimmed so they grow thicker and bear more flowers.
Trailing pansies
Trailing pansies (Viola hybrida “White”) are in full bloom for a long time. It’s a species that was obtained especially to be planted in hanging baskets. They will make a fresh and rustic addition to your porch or balcony. Make sure that the containers you use have extra drainage holes. A layer of pebbles or clay chips underneath will ensure good drainage. Use fresh flower soil, plant the pansies without going in too deep and water them right afterwards.
Flowers for hanging baskets. Fuchsia
Trailing fuchsia makes lovely flowers that can be colored anything from pale pink to hot pink, purple or hot pink and black. Some flowers can even reach 3 inches in diameter. They last from June til October. Plant it in a large pot, with draining holes, preferably made from porous plastic, to keep the soil moist longer. Cover the base with a layer of shards or pebbles. This plant grows well in the sunlight or in partial shade.
Trailing carnations
They make flowers of all colors – yellow, red, pink and white – that look beautiful in hanging baskets or tall, large pots. Cover the base of the container with a layer of pebbles or expanded clay. Use compost and mix the soil with some sand to get more flowers. The ideal spot for trailing carnations is one in full sunlight.
Read our posts about growing petunias and geraniums to decorate a balcony or porch beautifully.
Credits: bakker.com, decodays.ro
