Friday, May 25, 2007

Hanging baskets

I have never really made up hanging baskets - there was nowhere to hang them except in the tunnel while they had to be under cover and the thought of banging my head on them while I tended everything else didn't really appeal.

This year I made an exception and made up a few - largely to decorate the greenhouse and make it look generous and full. I went for large sized baskets with good compost and moisture retaining granules to make maintenance more possible. I planted them up in mid April and over the past 5 weeks they have really thrived and bulked up. Now they areready to fly the nest.

It is now the right time to put out summer bedding in Central Scotland - there is not such a drastic temperature swing between day and night and there is only a very slim chance of late frosts.

The hanging baskets have proved to be very useful as presents for men - this photo shows a basket delivered yesterday as a birthday present. It is an elegant mix of silver leaves and white and blue trailing plants. With deadheading and regular watering it should last until the autumn frosts.


These violas are at the door of the greenhouse - they cheer me up every time I pass them.

5 comments:

Gigibird said...

Hello Jane,
Hanging baskets - yours look very tasteful, but that isn't always the case. I am attracted to them, but down here it's very windy and in my last house I kind of gave up as the pully thingy broke every season.
Let's have a photo of them in situ please?

Gigibird said...

The violas are so beautiful - you're right they cheer you up - and pansies (as long as they aren't mixed) I am such a colour Nazi!

Anonymous said...

Love the hanging basket! Good mix of flowers. And love the blue pansies. Such a beautiful color.

Ragged Roses said...

A lovely hanging basket. great colours. I've started to hanging them from trees, our apple tree has some low branches and they look good there - the cat's the only one who might find them a nuisance as she legs it up the tree!
Kim x

Jane said...

Lynn, the baskets have sold so I can't take photos in situ - they hung on the metal brackets inside the Edwardian greenhouse that Euan restored for me.

Fresh floral - Thanks for your lovely comments - I like quite muted hanging baskets with masses of flowers - or perhaps monochrome ones - dark red trailing geraniums and red verbena.

Ragged - I think the trees idea is inspired!

J