I recently made my first ever hanging plant basket; after doing a bunch of research on hanging basket top tips and advice, I thought I would write up a quick and easy beginner post on how to create a hanging basket at home.

You Will Need:

• Lined hanging basket (the larger the better)

• A range of bedding plants

• Premium moisture control compost for pots and baskets

• A small side plate

• Sharp garden scissors

• Garden gloves

• A flower pot that is big enough to support the hanging basket for when you are making it.

Lined hanging baskets are available from a range of brands in various sizes. I managed to pick up a large version for £7 in my local garden centre (prices vary, but for my first basket I felt it was better to choose something at the lower end of the price scale).

Using a flower pot, I supported the base of the basket, making it easier to put together as the basket was held upright.

In order to make my basket bloom more quickly and to obtain even floral coverage around the sides of the basket (eventually covering all of the lining), I made some incisions in the side of the lining big enough to thread through the roots of some bedding plants. Make sure that you are careful when pushing your bedding plants through these incision holes; you do not want to damage the plant root system.

I took an old side plate and placed it into the bottom of the basket. By doing so, the plate will retain water in the basket for longer by not letting water quickly drip out underneath. I then added some premium moisture-control compost that’s designed especially for pots and baskets on top of the plate, filling up the basket to stopping plants from drying out quickly in warmer weather spells.

Then it was the fun part - planting my basket! I chose a range of trailing bedding plants in the hope that they would spill out down the sides. In the centre, I added plants with more height: geraniums, cosmos and dahlias. I filled in the basket, allowing room for plants to grow, before topping off with more compost.

And that was it! I hung my basket and water it regularly and my basket is now filling out with flowers!