The Best Flowers for Hanging Plants

Vibrant colored flowers in hanging baskets decorate your garden and bring it to a whole new level. Consider the growing requirements of the plants you choose in order to determine the best flowers for hanging baskets in your garden. Incorporate a time-release fertilizer into the soil or water with compost tea every other week. A potting soil designed for container growing, or the addition of water absorbing crystals, will help prevent the hanging baskets from quickly drying out.

Petunias are easy to grow, come in numerous colors and flower all season long. Color choices include shades of red, purple, white, pink and yellow. The flowers may be a single color or multiple colors with star patterns, different colored edges, veins or a combination of these patterns. Petunias grow best in full sunlight in well-drained soil, which is why they are one of the best flowers for hanging baskets. Petunias are slightly fragrant. The sweet fragrance is most noticeable at night. Some varieties require deadheading, which is the removal of the faded flowers. Wave petunias do not require deadheading. Petunias are self-seeding annuals. An annual is a plant that flowers, sets seed and dies in one growing season.

The colorful bell-shaped flowers that dangle on dropping stems makes Fuchsia one of the best flowers for hanging baskets. An annual in most climates, Fuchsia thrives in partial shade and temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The flowers, which attract hummingbirds, are either a single color or a combination of two colors. The color range includes purple, white, magenta, red, pink and yellow. Fuchsias are heavy feeders, especially when they are flowering. Fuchsia will thrive indoors during the winter months if grown in a south-facing window that receives bright, indirect light.

Another good choice for hanging baskets is Lantana. Like Fuchsia, this plant is grown as an annual in most climates. The disc-shaped flower head comes in a multitude of colors, some that are a single color and some that are multicolored. The colors include magenta, pink, yellow, orange, red, purple, white and coral. These profuse flowering plants attract a variety of butterflies and hummingbirds. Grow Lantana in full sun, in slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Once established, Lantana is drought tolerant, but for peak performance, water them on a regular basis. Prune large plants, or those that are not flowering heavily, to encourage bushiness and continual bloom.

Verbenas are heat-tolerant plants with a long bloom period. They are either an annual or a perennial, depending on the exact variety. A perennial plant is one that comes back from the root system year after year. In cold climates, move perennial varieties of Verbena grown in hanging baskets into a sheltered location during the winter months to prevent the freezing temperatures from killing this plant. Verbenas are the best flowers for hanging baskets when grown alone since they do not like being crowded. Grow Verbena in full sun in well-drained soil. Like Lantana, it is important to water Verbena on a regular basis.