Summer Baskets

Hanging baskets are a great way to bring the summer landscape up close to the house. I’d like to share some new ways to look at pretty hanging baskets. Today I’m at JDS Nursery enjoying their summer hanging baskets. Home gardeners really like the look of colorful combinations containers on the patio. This same look can be achieved in hanging baskets. Look at this gorgeous combination basket with these colorful plants. Yellow Noa calibrachoa, deep pink Lanai verbena, Brilliant Blue scaevola, and Diamond Blush euphorbia creates a colorful and warm presence. Summer hanging baskets don’t have to have colorful flowers to be gorgeous; foliage baskets can be equally attractive. An interesting example is Dichondra which is a spreading ground cover-like plant that is a great choice for baskets. Emerald Falls has dark green foliage and Silver Falls is an icy, silvery gray. Both varieties spill out over the basket edge with a conical shape. Dichondra is heat and drought tolerant and makes a good summer choice for hanging in the morning sun to partial shade. I’m always looking for new plants for hanging baskets and never thought about using mint before. Mint is the kudzu of herbs, so if you plant it in the ground, you may have to move in a few years. But growing in a basket makes perfect sense where its easy to enjoy the sweet aroma when touched. There are several varieties that have different textures and smells. What could be better on a hot summer day than picking fresh sprigs of mint for your refreshing julep. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern gardening.