Winter Hanging Baskets Ideas | Using Trailing & Bedding Plants

Winter hanging baskets offer a unique opportunity for floral displays, and while the options for flowering plants may seem somewhat restricted, I’ve compiled a list of resilient bedding and trailing plants. These selections not only withstand the coldest and darkest winter days but also add a delightful touch to your hanging baskets. Explore this curated selection for a variety of choices that promise to thrive and bring beauty to your outdoor spaces throughout the winter. Discover the perfect combination of hardy plants to elevate the aesthetic appeal of your winter hanging baskets, making the most of the colder months with vibrant and enduring botanical displays.

Plants for winter hanging baskets

Tip: In the winter, plants typically exhibit slower growth rates. Consider placing each plant closer together than you would in a summer arrangement. This arrangement technique ensures a fuller and more captivating display, compensating for the slower growth pace characteristic of winter.

1. Winter Pansies

An enduring favourite for winter showcases in tubs, borders, and, of course, winter hanging baskets, winter pansies stand out as a reliable choice. These resilient blooms boast continuous flowering for months, bringing vibrant colours to your outdoor spaces. To maintain their blooming prowess, it’s essential to regularly deadhead spent flowers, encouraging a continuous cycle of blossoms. Remarkably, you can rejuvenate winter pansies by trimming them back if they become straggly or limp. Most varieties are expected to grace your garden with blooms from October all the way through spring. Keep an eye out for specially curated winter-flowering, trailing varieties like ‘Cool Wave’ and ‘Cascadia’ for a dynamic and visually appealing addition to your winter hanging baskets.

2. Trailing Ivy – Hedera

Enhance the lush appeal of your winter hanging baskets by incorporating ivy, a fantastic choice for packing in foliage and creating a delightful cascade effect. To maximize its impact, consider planting ivy on the sides of the basket, imparting a fresh summer ambience to your winter display. Pots or plugs of ivy can be easily obtained from your local garden centre, and it’s equally straightforward to establish from cuttings. Opt for larger plants during planting, as ivy tends to grow slowly. To expedite growth, consider nurturing your ivy in pots during the summer, providing a head start for a robust winter presentation. Given their hardy nature, remember to preserve your ivy plants for next winter’s display, ensuring a lasting and vibrant addition to your winter display.

3. Hardy Primroses

Primroses exhibit impressive winter hardiness, offering a vibrant burst of colour even in the chilliest months. With a diverse array of colours and flower sizes available, consider opting for the extra hardiness of Primrose Huskey Mixed for a resilient and captivating display. Characterized by a non-trailing and compact growth habit, primroses are ideal candidates for unique hanging basket arrangements. Create an engaging presentation by planting them into the sides of your hanging basket, and for an added visual impact, fashion a ‘ball of colour’ by filling every available space with Hardy Primroses. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your winter display but also highlights the durability and charm of these cold-resistant blooms.

4. Hardy Cyclamen

The flowering perennial Cyclamen exudes an almost fairytale-like charm, earning it a spot as a personal favourite of mine. These enchanting plants boast flame-like flowers in shades of pink, red, and white, complemented by intricately patterned, ivy-shaped leaves. Thriving in shaded environments, Cyclamen can be seamlessly transitioned from hanging baskets to borders once their basket tenure concludes. Opt for a resilient and enduring variety like Cyclamen hederifolium to ensure a lasting and delightful presence in your garden.

5. Winter Bulbs

Leverage the early charm of snowdrops by incorporating them into baskets and tubs for a delightful burst of colour. For later winter blooms, consider introducing Dwarf Rockery Tulips, Daffodils ‘tete a tete’, Crocuses, and Dwarf Irises. After the baskets have completed their display, transplant the bulbs to your flower borders for a lasting presence. While side planting might yield some success, it’s worth noting that most winter bulbs prefer upward growth for optimal development.

Prepare your winter hanging basket

Success lies in thorough preparation. To achieve an impressive display, it’s essential to establish the optimal growing environment for your winter hanging basket plants.

Basket lining:
Similar to summer displays, use a fibrous fleece to line your basket, with a coir-based liner being an optimal choice. This not only provides insulation for your plant’s roots but also prevents the loss of the growing medium. Enhance protection by adding an additional inner layer of wet newspaper to shield roots from potential frost damage. Various materials, such as fibrous garden fleece, old jumpers, wet newspaper, and moss from your lawn, can serve as effective lining mediums.

Reservoir: Position a saucer at the base of the hanging basket to serve as a reservoir. Enhance drainage by placing broken pottery both within and around the saucer before adding the growing medium..

The growing medium:

Achieving success with your winter hanging baskets hinges on a crucial factor: effective drainage. It’s imperative to guarantee that your growing medium is both loose and free-draining. Optimal results can be attained by employing a high-quality multipurpose compost enriched with ample grit. Personally, I prefer utilizing a John Innes, soil-based compost for my winter baskets. This specific growing medium ensures efficient drainage, allowing water to be absorbed rapidly rather than run-off. To further enhance the nourishment of your plants, consider incorporating a small amount of slow-release feed into your mix.

Creating thriving winter hanging baskets is all about the details, and starting with a well-draining growing medium is a fundamental step.

advice on winter hanging basket Care Highlights

• Avoid excessive feeding of your winter hanging basket plants, as their growth during this season is generally modest. Opt for a general-purpose, organic feed throughout the winter.
• Ensure that your soil or compost promotes proper drainage to prevent excess moisture and freezing, which can result in root damage. Enhance drainage by incorporating ample grit or vermiculite into the mix.
• Provide robust protection for roots and retain the growing medium by generously lining your winter hanging baskets.
• When arranging your plants, pack them closely together, avoiding gaps. Given the modest growth in winter, a denser arrangement contributes to a fuller and more appealing display.

Further reading

If you’re eager to explore further insights on infusing colour into your garden this season, I’ve written a related article on the topic of winter bedding that might be of interest to you:

• Frost-hardy bedding plants

For more on the topic of hanging baskets, please consider visiting the RHS website.

Frequently asked questions