I’ve been in love with hanging baskets for many years. During college, my boyfriend’s mother hung them all over her screened-in summer porch, where they created a luxuriant, colorful room that I can still envision, 43 years later. Although I’ve experimented with different plants over the years, I find myself going back to the very same ones Dolores used. I’ve had hanging baskets in just about every place I’ve lived, in very hot climates and now in the cool climate of Inverness. They can work wherever there is a gardener willing to spend time loving them.
My favorite basket fillers are ivy geraniums of any color, needlepoint ivy, fuchsia, certain succulents and nasturtiums. The geraniums and succulents can overwinter and be revived again in the spring, despite neglect. The fuchsias need a bit more care, such as shelter from frost and watering. Last year I experimented with planting succulents through the sides of the basket; as they grew, they obscured the fabric basket lining and sent off crazy, sculptural shoots, which really pleased me.
I love having deep-red Empress Of India nasturtiums cascading down from baskets, a waterfall of garnet color. Humming birds love it, too. And just beneath the basket, attached to the underside, I like to add a hummer feeder. The little beauties drink from the deep-throated flowers and the artificial fountain and use the rim of the basket to rest and plan their next moves. The nasturtiums produce tons of seeds that you can dry in the sun (protected from birds) and then push back into the soil of the basket. You can also gather fresh seedpods and pickle them: faux capers! They have a horseradish-like bite and provide a fun novelty for a dinner party. Ivy geraniums come in many colors; I like brilliant reds, but anything works. They are so easy to propagate: just break off a slip of several inches and push it into the soil.
When I’m shopping at a nursery I look for trailing plants for my baskets. I always fall for the beautiful lobelias in white or indigo. They are fine for one season, but once they die they need to be pulled out. I usually end up with some potato vines or the latest thing the nursery features. I love experimenting, but I always return to my old friends. Recently I’ve been experimenting with fuchsia-only baskets. I love the look of the fairy flowers dangling daintily in myriad pastels. This is another favorite for hummingbirds.
Now, where to get baskets without spending a fortune? At Dollar Stores and Grocery Outlets you can get a basket, complete with coir liner and hanging chains, for about $5. This is the easiest way to go, but I’ve also enjoyed using moss or making my own liner out of burlap. Last year I found a cache of burlap and went crazy cutting huge circles and then handsewing the fabric to a metal frame. Perhaps that sounds like a colossal time waster, but I enjoyed it.
One problem with sticking plants in fabric linings is that they can fall out. I solve the problem by cutting an “x” in a plastic lid, like those for salsa, cottage cheese or yogurt; I stick the stem of the plant through a slit in the basket lining, then through the lid. I then cut the “x” as needed to accommodate the stem.
If you are putting baskets on a porch, you’ll want something under the basket to catch the drips. Try large potted plants. You can also hang baskets from the eaves of your house or from tree branches. Get packages of cheap “s” hooks and giant eye hooks at the hardware store. I like to place the baskets as close together as possible, creating a living wall. Use chain of varying lengths for this. Have an agile person climb the ladder and do the screwing and hanging. Be sure the ladder is on a firm foundation to prevent it from sinking into the ground. This isn’t worth an accident.
Caveat emptor. (For years I thought “caveat emptor” meant “empty cave,” as in “move-in ready, check for bears.” It doesn’t.) I hesitate suggesting Pinterest for wonderful hanging basket ideas. You’ll see thousands of ideas for making and filling baskets, and clever ideas for self-watering baskets. It is possible to spend hours on that site. You’ve been warned.
Mary Olsen, a garden club member, lives in Inverness with her dog, Molly, and her husband, Jim. She previously she wrote for The West Marin Citizen and now proudly joins the Point Reyes Light family.