Elevate Your Garden: Top Picks And Tips For Outdoor Hanging Plants

Last Updated February 29, 2024 By Bella Zinti

Home » Plants » Elevate Your Garden: Top Picks And Tips For Outdoor Hanging Plants

Outdoor hanging plants offer a splendid way to beautify your outdoor living spaces, be it a balcony, patio, or garden. They provide a unique opportunity to elevate the aesthetic appeal of your home's exterior, creating an enchanting green oasis in the air. Adding hanging plants to an outdoor space can introduce depth, color, and texture, creating a more inviting and vibrant atmosphere. Whether you want to create a serene retreat, a vibrant display of blooms, or a lush green canopy, outdoor hanging plants are a versatile and impactful choice.

In this blog post, we'll share some of the best-hanging plants that can transform any outdoor space—be it a cozy balcony, a spacious patio, or a sun-drenched porch—into a vibrant oasis.

Best Outdoor Hanging Plants

Petunias

Hanging Petunias

If you love trailing plants, then you must opt for petunias. Adding Petunias as your outdoor hanging plant is a splendid way to infuse color and vibrancy into your garden. These prolific bloomers come in a dazzling array of colors, from deep purples and pinks to vibrant reds and whites, making them a visually stunning choice for any outdoor area.

Petunias are particularly suited for gardeners who enjoy a colorful display and are looking for low-maintenance plants. Thriving in full sun, these plants require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily. Regular watering is essential, especially during warmer months, and they benefit from weekly fertilization. Deadheading spent blooms encourage more flowers.

Fuchsia

Hanging Fuchsia

Fuchsias are renowned for their striking, pendulous flowers that display a beautiful blend of colors, often in deep pinks, purples, and reds. These unique, teardrop-shaped blooms create a stunning visual impact, making Fuchsia a favorite for those who seek a show-stopping floral display.

Fuchsias are ideal for gardeners who appreciate ornamental plants and are willing to provide a bit more care. They flourish in cooler temperatures and partial shade, protected from the harsh afternoon sun. Preferring consistently moist soil, these plants benefit from regular watering and feeding with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer during the growing season.

Their dramatic flowers and lush foliage make Fuchsias a captivating addition to any outdoor space, particularly suited for outdoor hanging baskets where their cascading blooms can be admired up close. Fuchsias can transform a simple patio or balcony into a charming and colorful retreat with proper care.

Boston Fern

Boston Fern in hanging planter

A classic choice, Boston Ferns add lush greenery with their feathery fronds. Renowned for their long, arching fronds covered in small leaves, these ferns bring a vibrant and airy feel, perfect for creating a serene and natural ambiance. Boston Ferns are particularly appealing to those who enjoy lush, foliage-rich plants and are looking for relatively low-maintenance options.

These ferns thrive in cool, humid conditions with indirect light, making them ideal for shaded porches or balconies. While they need consistent moisture, avoiding waterlogging the soil is important. Regular watering, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist, and occasional misting to maintain humidity, especially in drier climates, are key to their care.

Boston Ferns are perfect for enhancing the aesthetic of outdoor living areas, adding a touch of calming and visually appealing greenery. Their care requirements and ability to thrive in shaded conditions make them a practical and beautiful choice for gardeners at any skill level.

Begonias

Hanging Begonia plant

Opting for Begonias as outdoor hanging plants is an excellent choice for those seeking to infuse their outdoor spaces with a touch of color and elegance. These plants are celebrated for their vibrant blooms and diverse leaf patterns, ranging from rich, deep greens to intricate, variegated designs. The unique aspect of begonias lies in their ability to offer stunning flowers and decorative foliage, making them a dual threat in ornamental plants.

Ideal for gardeners who appreciate a colorful display, begonias thrive in a variety of light conditions. However, they prefer filtered sunlight or partial shade to protect their delicate leaves and blooms. They require well-draining soil and moderate watering, keeping the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Regular deadheading of spent flowers can promote more blooms.

Lobelia

Hanging Lobelia

Adding Lobelia to your outdoor hanging plant collection can infuse a stunning splash of color with minimal effort. Lobelia is particularly admired for its profusion of small, vibrant flowers, typically in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. These delicate blooms create a waterfall-like effect, making Lobelia an excellent choice for a hanging basket, where their trailing nature can be fully appreciated.

Ideal for gardeners looking to enhance their space with a touch of vibrant color, Lobelia thrives in cooler temperatures and prefers partial to full sunlight. It's a great option for those with balconies or patios that receive a good amount of morning light. Lobelia requires consistently moist soil, so regular watering is key, especially during dry spells. Exercise caution to avoid overwatering, as this can help prevent the occurrence of root rot.

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum

Incorporating Sweet Alyssum into your outdoor hanging plant ensemble is a delightful way to add a subtle yet captivating charm. Known for its tiny, honey-scented flowers, Sweet Alyssum creates a dense carpet of blooms in white, pink, and purple shades. This plant's low-growing, cascading habit makes it perfect for spilling over the edges of hanging planter baskets, creating a soft and romantic appearance.

Sweet Alyssum is a fantastic choice for gardeners who value fragrance and extended blooming periods. Thriving in cooler conditions and favoring full to partial sunlight, this plant is relatively low-maintenance. It requires regular watering to moisten the soil, particularly in warmer weather. However, it's tolerant of mild drought and resilient in various growing conditions.

Adding Sweet Alyssum to your outdoor space brings visual beauty and a delightful fragrance, enhancing the sensory experience of your garden. Its ease of care and long flowering season make it a great choice for both novice and experienced gardeners alike.

Black-Eyed Susan Vine

Hanging Black-Eyed Susan Vine

Adding Black-Eyed Susan Vine as an outdoor hanging plant is a splendid way to infuse your space with a vibrant, tropical feel. This fast-growing vine is known for its bright, cheerful flowers, typically in shades of yellow or orange with a striking dark center, resembling the eyes of their namesake. The charm of this plant is accentuated by its heart-shaped leaves, providing a lush backdrop for the flowers.

Ideal for gardeners who enjoy fast-growing, flowering plant vines, Black-Eyed Susan Vine thrives in full sun to partial shade. It's perfect for those with sunny patios or balconies and can be a great addition to any summer garden. This plant demands consistent watering, especially during dry periods, and gains from weekly feeding with a balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season.

Geraniums

Hanging Geranium plant

Geraniums are a classic and vibrant choice for outdoor hanging plants, bringing a burst of color and a touch of traditional charm to any space. What sets geraniums apart are their brightly colorful flowers, available in a range of hues including red, pink, white, and purple, accompanied by lush, often aromatic foliage. Their robust and upright growth habit makes them ideal for hanging baskets, where their blossoms can spill over the edges attractively.

Geraniums are perfect for gardeners who desire long-lasting blooms and plants that can tolerate a variety of conditions. Preferring bright, indirect light and well-draining soil, they require regular watering. Allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings is crucial to prevent root rot. Deadheading spent flowers will encourage more blooms.

Chenille plant

Hanging Chenille Plant

The Chenille Plant is an excellent choice for individuals seeking to make a bold statement in their garden or patio. Its dramatic appearance and relatively easy care make it a great addition for introducing a tropical touch to hanging plant arrangements. This plant is renowned for its unique and attention-grabbing feature: long, pendulous catkins that resemble soft, red chenille yarn. These fuzzy, tactile blooms provide a vibrant pop of color and an unusual textural element, making the Chenille Plant an excellent conversation starter.

Ideal for gardeners seeking to add an exotic flair to their outdoor space, the Chenille Plant thrives in warm, humid climates and prefers bright, indirect sunlight. This plant demands well-draining soil and consistent moisture, necessitating regular watering to prevent the soil from drying out entirely. However, caution should be exercised to avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.

Portulaca

Hanging Portulaca

Adding Portulaca, also known as Moss Rose, to your outdoor hanging planters is an excellent way to infuse vibrant colors and resilience into your garden. This drought-tolerant plant is known for its bright, multi-petaled flowers in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange, and white. Its succulent-like leaves enable it to withstand hot, dry conditions, making it ideal for sunny, arid climates.

Portulaca is perfect for gardeners seeking low-maintenance yet visually stunning plants. Thriving in full sun, this plant is well-suited for hanging baskets in well-lit areas. Preferring well-draining soil and needing minimal watering, it is an excellent choice for busy individuals or those in water-restricted regions.


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About the author

Bella has a Bachelors degree in interior design, is a master gardener. She designs nourishing outdoor & indoor spaces guided by the practice of Feng Shui.