As we are now in the month of May it is always a good time to start making up some hanging baskets and containers to add to the outside decor.  The nurseries and chain stores are now stocking suitable plants although they still need to be sheltered just in case we go through a cold snap.  Once again I am very impressed at the healthy stock that Home Depot has and in particular the six packs of annuals that they carry.  One of my stuffers that I use each year is lobelia and they have a variety of colours from purple, blue to white.  While I was in Costco the other day they also had six packs and I was happy to see the two tone trailing verbena which brightens up the basket.

I seem to have got carried away this year with buying osteospermums but there are so many different colours and varieties.  I will use them in my hanging baskets and containers.  They love a sunny disposition and flower all summer long.

My geraniums that I overwintered are the main central plant in the hanging baskets and I use dracena as the focal plant in the containers.  The baskets also contain a few trailing calibrachoas (million bells) which I love as well as fuchsias and bacopa (which comes in lavender and white).  I do have several wave petunias too and particularly like the crimson colour variety as captured below.

Calibrachoa.

Once the baskets and containers are planted, I use Miracle Grow each week to keep the plants strong and healthy.  Normal rule of thumb is to not put them outside until May long weekend, but this year maybe an exception with the warm weather we have had over the past few weeks.  I will however keep an eye on the temperatures and gradually adjust the baskets from the greenhouse to the outside.

Happy Planting!