Sunny position
Petunias, calibrachoa, verbena and geraniums are useful plants to consider for traditional summer colour where conditions suit the variety.
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Gardening expertise & tips
How to create beautiful hanging baskets
Practical advice on choosing, planting and caring for hanging baskets from Roses Garden Centre in Newent, Gloucestershire — where many bedding and basket plants are raised on our own nursery.
Roses Garden CentreSecond-generation family businessNewent, Gloucestershire
The simple answer
What makes a good hanging basket?
A successful hanging basket needs plants suited to the same position, good-quality compost, enough room for roots to develop and consistent watering and feeding. Combine fuller plants for body with trailing plants around the edge, and choose for sunlight and growing habit as well as flower colour.
Advice from Roses
Hanging-basket advice backed by our own nursery
Roses is a second-generation family garden centre in Newent, Gloucestershire, with its own on-site nursery. We grow many of the bedding and basket plants customers use to create summer displays, so our advice is based on seeing those plants develop through the season.
That means we can help you choose plants that suit the position, work well together and have enough room to grow — rather than choosing on flower colour alone.
Raised at RosesMany of our traditional basket and bedding plants are grown on our own nursery in Newent.
Local growing experienceWe see how plants respond to local conditions across Newent, Gloucestershire and the wider Forest of Dean.
Help choosing combinationsTell us where your basket will hang and we can help match plants to the light, exposure and look you want.
PetuniaLook for the pink Grown at Roses treatment throughout this guide for plants raised on our own nursery.
Start here
1. Choose the position before the plants
A basket in a hot, sunny position has different needs from one beside a shady doorway. Start with the conditions you actually have.
Partially shaded
Fuchsias and begonias can give strong summer colour where a basket does not receive prolonged full sun.
Sheltered position
Hanging baskets can dry quickly and exposed winds can damage soft growth and flowers, so a protected position is generally easier to manage.
Build the display
2. Choose plants that work together
Colour matters, but it should not be the only consideration. A good basket combines plants with compatible needs and different growing habits.
Centre & structure
Use fuller plants to give the basket body and help create a balanced shape.
Fill
Add flowering plants through the middle to build colour and fullness as the basket develops.
Trail
Use trailing varieties around the edge so the finished display softens and spills over the basket.
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Basket plants raised on our own nursery
Roses grows many of its bedding and basket plants on its own nursery in Newent rather than simply buying in finished plants. Plants raised locally have already experienced local temperatures and weather conditions before going into gardens around Newent, Gloucestershire and the wider Forest of Dean, and travel fewer miles as finished plants.
Petunias
Large flowers and a classic summer-basket look.
Calibrachoa
Smaller flowers with a naturally trailing habit and lots of colour.
Verbena
Clusters of flowers that work well in mixed displays.
Begonias
Strong summer colour for baskets and containers where conditions suit.
Geraniums
Useful structure and familiar summer colour.
Fuchsias
Distinctive hanging flowers and useful choices for less sunny positions.
Plant comparison
Petunia, calibrachoa, verbena or fuchsia?
| Plant | Why consider it? | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Petunia | Big, colourful flowers and a classic summer appearance. | Bold displays and flower colour |
| Calibrachoa | Smaller flowers and an abundant trailing appearance. | Softening basket edges |
| Verbena | Flower clusters that combine well with other basket plants. | Mixed baskets |
| Geranium | Strong structure and familiar summer colour. | Body and impact |
| Fuchsia | Distinctive hanging flowers with options for less sunny sites. | Part-shade baskets |
| Begonia | A strong flower display for baskets and containers. | Summer colour |
Basket size
3. Give the plants enough room to grow
A larger basket holds more compost, gives roots more room and generally retains moisture for longer. A very small basket can look attractive when first planted but may demand more attention once plants are established and temperatures rise.
How many plants do you need?
The right number depends on basket diameter, the size and variety of the plants and how quickly you want the basket to fill. Ask the Roses team how many plants will suit your basket and the varieties you have chosen.
Step by step
4. How to plant a hanging basket
Prepare the basket
Make sure it is secure and appropriately lined if the basket design requires it.
Add compost
Use good-quality compost suitable for containers and leave enough room for planting and watering.
Position the plants
Arrange everything first and check the balance from the sides as well as from above.
Plant without crowding
Allow for how much larger young spring plants will become as the season develops.
Water thoroughly
Water after planting so the compost settles around the roots.
Let it establish
Protect tender summer plants from unsuitable cold conditions and late frosts.
Seasonal timing
When can hanging baskets go outside in the UK?
Tender summer hanging-basket plants can be damaged by frost, so do not put a newly planted summer basket permanently outside simply because there have been a few warm spring days.
The safest timing varies with the weather and exact location. In and around Newent and Gloucestershire, Roses can advise customers according to current local conditions rather than relying on one fixed calendar date.
Ongoing care
How to keep a hanging basket looking good
Watering
Check baskets regularly because they can dry much faster than plants in the ground. Smaller baskets and sunny or windy positions usually dry more quickly.
Feeding
Container plants have a limited supply of nutrients. Regular feeding can help maintain a strong display; follow the instructions for the feed and plants being grown.
Deadheading
Removing finished flowers can keep many plants tidy and encourage continued flowering, although the amount needed varies by plant and variety.
From the Roses plant range
Roses' hanging-basket picks
Explore some of the basket plants raised on our nursery in Newent. Choose varieties to suit where your basket will hang, then combine fuller plants with trailing colour for a balanced display.
For trailing over the edge — Calibrachoa
Smaller, abundant flowers with a naturally trailing appearance.
For partial shade — Fuchsia
Distinctive hanging flowers and useful options where full sun is not available.
For a mass of summer colour — Petunia
A classic basket choice with large flowers and plenty of colour.
For a mixed basket — Verbena
Flower clusters that combine readily with other traditional basket plants.
Troubleshooting
Common hanging-basket mistakes
Choosing plants before the position
Start with sun, shade and exposure, then select plants that suit those conditions.
Overcrowding
Young plants may look small in spring, but they need room to develop.
Letting the basket dry out
Warm and windy conditions can remove moisture quickly from a hanging container.
Putting tender plants out too early
Warm spring days do not necessarily mean the risk of frost has passed.
Advice from the Roses team
Let’s choose the right plants for your basket.
Tell us where it will hang, whether the position is sunny or shaded, and roughly how big the basket is. Our team can help you put together plants that suit the same conditions.
Visit our second-generation family garden centre on Ledbury Road, Newent, Gloucestershire, GL18 1DL. With our own on-site nursery, we welcome gardeners from Newent, across Gloucestershire and the wider Forest of Dean for practical help with baskets and containers.
Ask the Roses teamContinue exploring
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Read guide →Need help with a basket?
Come and talk hanging baskets with us.
Visit Roses Garden Centre in Newent, Gloucestershire and tell us where your basket will hang, how much sun it gets and the look you want to create. We can help you choose plants that work well together.
