It is at this time of year that gardeners need to be thinking about which flowering plants they want to plant in hanging baskets, tubs and planters so that there is sufficient time to plant seeds and grow the young plants on before final planting. There are a variety of plants on the market that are suitable for hanging baskets and ideally there needs to be a mixture of upright varieties and trailing ones. Buying from a garden centre is advisable as the quality of plants is usually superior to those bought from a supermarket.
One of the first considerations is the colour scheme that will be used. Some people prefer a riotous mix of colours in their hanging baskets whereas others like to have their baskets with a definite colour theme. Whatever choice is made there are flowering plants to suit most tastes.
Petunias are a popular choice for hanging baskets as their trumpet-shaped flowers last throughout the summer if they are dead-headed regularly. They can be found in a range of colours from bright pink through to blue and create a wonderful display in a hanging basket.
Fuchsias can be found in both trailing and upright varieties. There delicate flowers look delightful in a hanging basket when planted with other trailing plants such as geraniums and begonias.