Domakihub How to Make a Hanging Basket That Blooms All Season
A practical step-by-step guide for homes, holiday rentals, and hotels in Greece.
Reviewed by Domakihub garden pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
A well-planted hanging basket can transform a bare entrance, a narrow balcony, or a courtyard into something guests actually remember. The video above by TV gardener Katie Rushworth walks through the full planting process visually, while this article breaks it down into clear, repeatable steps you can follow. Whether you are sprucing up a private home, a holiday villa in the Peloponnese, or a boutique hotel terrace, the method is the same and the results are immediately rewarding.
Why Hanging Baskets Work So Well in Greece
Greece's long, dry summers favour compact, heat-tolerant flowering plants that thrive in free-draining containers — exactly what a hanging basket delivers. Placed under a pergola, beside a front door, or along a hotel entrance path, they create an impression of care and colour without requiring any ground space at all.
Because baskets dry out faster than pots, choosing the right liner and compost mix matters more here than it does in cooler northern climates. Getting those two elements right means you water less often and the plants stay healthy well into September.
What You Need Before You Start
You will need a wire or plastic basket (30–40 cm diameter is ideal for a first attempt), a liner (coconut-fibre liners retain moisture better than plain moss in a hot climate), a bag of multi-purpose peat-free compost, water-retaining gel crystals, slow-release granular fertiliser, and your chosen plants. For Greek conditions, petunias, calibrachoa, bacopa, verbena, and trailing geraniums all perform very well through the heat.
Gather everything in one place before you start — once the liner is wet and the basket is loaded, moving between tasks becomes awkward.
How to Make a Hanging Basket: 5 Steps
- 1
Line and prepare the basket
Sit your wire basket in a large bucket or pot to keep it steady. Press the coconut-fibre liner firmly into the basket so it covers the sides and base without gaps. Mix a small handful of water-retaining gel crystals into your compost together with a generous tablespoon of slow-release fertiliser granules — this single step cuts your watering frequency almost in half during summer.
- 2
Add the first layer of compost and side plants
Pour compost into the lined basket until it is roughly one-third full. Using a pencil or finger, make small slits in the liner at the sides, just above the compost level. Gently feed the root balls of trailing plants — bacopa or small trailing petunias work well — through the slits from outside, tucking the roots in and firming compost around them. These side plants fill out the 'skirt' of the basket and make it look lush from every angle.
- 3
Build up and plant the centre
Add more compost until the basket is about two-thirds full, then plant taller, upright varieties in the centre — a single calibrachoa, a compact fuchsia, or a pelargonium work well as the focal point. Surround this centrepiece with medium trailing varieties, placing them at a slight outward angle so they will naturally cascade over the edge as they grow.
- 4
Top up, firm, and water thoroughly
Fill in any remaining gaps with compost, leaving roughly 2–3 cm of clearance below the basket rim so water does not run straight off. Press the compost down gently around every plant to eliminate air pockets. Water slowly and deeply until moisture drips freely from the base — this first thorough soak settles the plants and activates the gel crystals and fertiliser.
- 5
Hang and establish a care routine
Hang the basket at a height where you can reach it easily for watering and deadheading — eye level or just above is ideal. In the Greek summer, check moisture every morning; baskets in full sun may need watering twice a day in July and August. Remove spent flowers every few days to keep the plants producing new blooms, and top up with a liquid feed once a week from midsummer onwards, since the slow-release granules will be running low by then.
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FAQ
- What plants are best for hanging baskets in the Greek climate?
- Heat-tolerant varieties that tolerate dry spells perform best. Trailing pelargoniums (geraniums), petunias, calibrachoa, verbena, and bacopa all handle summer heat well. Avoid plants that prefer cool, moist conditions such as pansies and violas — they fade quickly once temperatures climb above 28°C.
- How often should I water a hanging basket in summer?
- In full sun during a Greek summer, once a day is the minimum and twice a day is common in July and August. The best test is to lift the basket slightly — if it feels light, it needs water. Adding water-retaining gel crystals to the compost at planting time significantly reduces how often you need to water.
- Can I use a hanging basket on a roofed balcony or under a pergola?
- Yes, covered or semi-shaded positions are actually kinder to baskets because they reduce moisture loss. You will need to choose shade-tolerant plants such as fuchsias, impatiens, or begonias rather than sun-lovers like petunias. The trade-off is that rain will not reach the basket at all, so you must be consistent with manual watering.