winter hanging baskets~help Lottie!

[GREENWIZARD]

thought i might ask the basket queen for some help :)
do you have any suggestions for winter hanging baskets?
i haven't made one up for this time of year ~ so i thought i'd seek some advice from an expert :)

[GREENWIZARD]

[Rosa_Mundi]

Not Lottie, but I find a mixture of small bulbs, primulas and pansies works very well. Don't like ivy much, although that would add a nice foil.

[GREENWIZARD]

that sounds lovely R-M~gives me an excuse to go shopping ;D ;D

[Rosa_Mundi]

A pleasure  ;D ;D

[undercarriage plan]

 Oh Gawd, GW!! Having probs coming up with new ideas myself!! But this is the list I'm working from - Evergreen ferns, cordylines survived well, Euonymus, dwarf conifers, winter pansies, underplant with bulbs (dwarf narcissi), primroses, that black grass (Ophiopogon nigrescens), periwinkle, ivies, last year I used heathers, been training Ajuga to trail down, hope this helps.  Thank you for thinking of me, by the way!!!  ;D Lottie

[GREENWIZARD]

excellent stuff L~lots to think about :)thanks

[undercarriage plan]

Phew!!! ;D Lottie

[beejay]

Could I be so bold as to add the smaller evergreen grasses, heucheras & I had a really good display one year which included some golden variegated thyme.

[undercarriage plan]

Oh yes, Beejay, love Heuchera!!! Have some left over as well!!  ;) Thanks. Lottie  ;D

[wardy]

I agree with ajuga!  It's a great container plant.  Mine is in an old toilet cistern and it's flowered constantly for months and the foliage is brilliant purple  :)  It's finished flowering but I just snipped the flowers off and the foliage is still beautiful.  Doesn't mind shade either or full sun.  I'm on a windy site and it doesn't seem to mind that either.  Mine is with a bit of ivy would it would look good with tiarella or heuchera  :)

[westsussexlottie]

I used ornamental kale last year - they looked amazing.

[GREENWIZARD]

smaller evergreen grasses, heucheras & golden variegated thyme.

lovely :)
i'm spoilt for choice now ;D ~ thanks folks ;D

[Val]

You must be reading my mind I was thinking about them this morning. I don't want the pansies...although I love them they never seem to do well so thought I might try something different this year. Lots of lovely ideas there, do primulas flower in the winter or is it more spring? Also find the ornamental oranges...I can't remember the name, it has orange berries in winter...that looks good in a pot.

[KevB]

Hi Lottie
you must try the ornamental cabbage if they have them in your area?? they last for months and you can get white and purple. they are brilliant as the centre piece when surrounded with a few pansies.
Good Luck
Kev

[undercarriage plan]

Thanks Kev, may well do.  Have couple of floor pots to do too, think they'd look good in that. This is one I prepared earlier.....heather is about to bloom, brought it in for hair cut!!!! :o Lottie  ;D

[KevB]

Thanks Kev, may well do.  Have couple of floor pots to do too, think they'd look good in that. This is one I prepared earlier.....heather is about to bloom, brought it in for hair cut!!!! :o Lottie  ;D

Hi Lottie
(one I prepared earlier) are you off Blue Peter?  :D I've never used fern and ivy together, are they underplanted with crocus or anything. When you say about to "bloom" do you mean new growth? Cheers Kev

[undercarriage plan]

Hey Kev, they're underplanted with dwarf narcissi and a couple of spring flowering cyclamen. Just mean they're about to bloom? Don't know any other way to describe it!! I loved Blue Peter, never had a badge though, and as others know, had a thing for John Noakes for years (or was it Peter....mmmm ???). But to tell truth, been nurturing this for several weeks, will go up as soon as summer one looks a bit ropey. Lottie  ;D

[wardy]

Val   I grew some Heritage polyanthus from seed (Chartreuse from Fothergills) they are absolutely beautiful.  They flowered for months in clay pots on my windowsill.  I put them out in the garden a few weeks ago and they're in flower again.  They'd be lovely in baskets and pots. 

[Val]

Hi Wardy, thanks, think I will try those with a bit of green this year. The ornamental cauli's go to seed very quickly as well. think it might be to warm for them, at least the last 2 years they've gone over. Its all trial and error.

[wardy]

Here they are