Design Use - Hanging Baskets

Looking for plants that perform well in hanging baskets? Garden Crossings brings together flowering and foliage options selected for hanging basket use, making it easier to build colorful displays for porches, patios, balconies, and other small-space garden areas. Explore options by sun exposure, bloom time, water needs, brand, and helpful garden attributes so you can match plants to the conditions where your basket will hang.

Hanging basket filled with white and purple petunias, small blue blooms, and trailing green vines against a white background
A Spikes Dracaena grows among red and white petunias in a garden border, with a grassy lawn and trees in the background on a sunny day - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A vibrant blue pot features Spikes Dracaena with tall spiky green leaves in the center, surrounded by purple, magenta, and yellow flowers, all set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Spikes Dracaena

$10.99
$10.99

Sprengeri Asparagus Fern with feathery green foliage in a round, dark gray ceramic pot—an easy-to-grow annual ideal for pots or hanging baskets, shown here against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A window box with Sprengeri Asparagus Fern, deep purple foliage, and pink flowers sits below multi-pane windows reflecting trees and warm light - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sprengeri Asparagus Fern

$10.99
$10.99

A dense cluster of purple and white daisy-like Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers fills the frame, creating a vibrant and colorful floral pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a cluster of vibrant purple and white Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers with yellow centers, tightly packed together, filling the entire image - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stacy Pink' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$12.99
$12.99
Close-up of Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) with vibrant orange and yellow petals. Dewdrops sparkle on the main bloom, making it ideal for fall décor among other blossoms and buds. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture

Stacy™ Dazzling Orange Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$11.99
$11.99
A close-up of the Starlet™ Velvet Petunia highlights its velvety black petals and dark center, framed by lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A cluster of Starlet™ Velvet Petunia, with deep purple, velvety flowers and green leaves, trails beautifully in bright sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Starlet™ Velvet Petunia

$10.99
$10.99

The Summer Punch Annual Combination features a large dark planter filled with vibrant Superbells in red, yellow, orange, and purple blooms, densely packed with green foliage against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Summer Punch Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia) features vibrant pink blooms with white centers and green leaves. The delicate, slightly ruffled petals make this plant ideal for shade gardens and hanging baskets outdoors - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia) shows trumpet-shaped, vibrant purple blooms and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of Summer Wave® Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia) showcasing vibrant purple blooms with soft, rounded petals and green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A lush green plant with many vibrant purple flowers, the Summer Wave® Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia), thrives in shade and is shown here in a glossy dark blue ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Summer Wave® Trailing Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Three vibrant blooms of Summer Wave® Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia) display deep purple centers and white throats among green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of the Summer Wave® Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia), a shade-loving annual with velvety purple-violet petals, a dark center, and lush green foliage trailing around it - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summer Wave® Trailing Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Bright coral-pink, trumpet-shaped blooms with yellow centers of the Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia create a vivid contrast against its dense, glossy green foliage - - Vibrant pink Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia flowers with yellow centers and glossy green leaves fill the image, highlighting their bold tropical look - -

Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Coral Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of vibrant orange and yellow Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia flowers with green leaves, displayed indoors against blurred signs and shelves in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia bloom with five orange-red petals and a yellow center is set among elongated green leaves and more striking flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Sun Parasol® Firedup™ Orange Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99

Close-up of vibrant pink and purple climbing mandevilla flowers, each with five petals, surrounded by lush green leaves and delicate Sun Parasol® XP Bluephoria™ Mandevilla blooms in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A hand gently holds two trumpet-shaped Sun Parasol® XP Bluephoria™ Mandevilla flowers, one purple and one pink, surrounded by shiny green leaves and more Sun Parasol® XP Bluephoria™ blooms in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sun Parasol® XP Bluephoria® Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99

A close-up of Sun Parasol® XP Double Pink Blush Mandevilla displays its pink double blooms with darker centers, set against lush green leaves in sunlight—highlighting the beauty of this flowering climbing vine - Photo Courtesy of Sunfire Nursery.A close-up of the Sun Parasol® XP Double Pink Blush Mandevilla, showcasing its trumpet-shaped pink blooms amid glossy green leaves and several unopened buds on a climbing vine - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sun Parasol® XP Double Pink Blush Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99
Close-up of vibrant pink Sun Parasol® XP Mauvelous Mandevilla flowers with five petals and dark centers, set against lush green leaves. This healthy climber blooms beautifully in a black pot, adding a fresh touch to any space - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.Sun Parasol® XP Mauvelous Mandevilla is a climbing plant with glossy green leaves and abundant vibrant pink trumpet-shaped blooms, displayed against a light gray textured backdrop - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sun Parasol® XP Mauvelous Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99

Sun Parasol® XP Original Sunbeam® Mandevilla is a vibrant climbing plant with glossy green leaves and trumpet-shaped yellow flowers featuring orange centers, perfect for sunny spots - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Sun Parasol® XP Original Sunbeam® Mandevilla: yellow trumpet-shaped flowers with orange centers amid glossy green leaves. Buds are visible, highlighting this sun-loving climbing plant's vibrant display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sun Parasol® XP Original Sunbeam® Mandevilla

$15.99
$15.99

Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia) features bright yellow, daisy-like blooms with green centers amid dense, dark green foliage. This heat-tolerant plant offers a vibrant display of buds and blossoms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia), with bright yellow blooms and green leaves, fills the frame in a vibrant, cheerful display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Sunbini® Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia)

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of bright yellow Sundance Yellow' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum) flowers in full bloom, with some unopened buds surrounded by green leaves. The sunlight highlights the vibrant petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sundance Yellow' Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum)

$11.99
$11.99
Two vibrant pink Sundenia® Coral Dipladenia flowers with yellow centers bloom among green leaves on a black trellis - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sundenia® Coral Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of Sundenia® Red Dipladenia, a tropical plant with five bold red petals and a vivid orange center, lush green leaves surrounding it - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sundenia® Red Improved Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99
Three wide-petaled Sundenia® Suprema Vivid Pink Dipladenia flowers with yellow centers bloom among lush green leaves, creating a fresh and vibrant tropical display in natural light. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.The Sundenia® Suprema Vivid Pink Dipladenia, a compact plant with vibrant pink five-petaled flowers, yellow centers, and dark green leaves, blooms against a white corrugated background as some buds remain unopened. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.

Sundenia® Suprema Vivid Pink Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99
A close-up of the Sundenia® White Dipladenia, a tropical flowering plant with five light pink petals and a yellow center, set against vibrant green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of two Sundenia® White Dipladenia flowers with yellow centers and lush green leaves. Their soft, overlapping petals highlight the tropical beauty of this vibrant flowering plant - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sundenia® White Dipladenia

$11.99
$11.99
The Sunglasses Annual Combination features a white pot brimming with Supertunia Mini Vista Hot Pink, Superbells Yellow, and striped petunias, plus lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sunglasses Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99
A close-up of a single Sunpatiens® Compact Classic White Impatiens flower with five petals, surrounded by glossy green leaves, appearing fresh and vibrant in natural light - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Sunpatiens® Compact Classic White Impatiens bloom with lush green leaves in front of tall, thin, reddish-purple ornamental grass, creating a vibrant contrast that highlights the delicate white flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

SunPatiens® Compact Classic White Impatiens

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of a single Sunpatiens® Compact Deep Red Impatiens featuring vibrant red petals and lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A Sunpatiens® Compact Deep Red Impatiens with vibrant red blooms and green foliage sits on a tiled floor by a wooden fence. The plant is in a decorative black and beige woven pot, ideal for container gardens - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sunpatiens® Compact Deep Red Impatiens

$10.99
$10.99

Create Colorful, Easy-Care Displays

For classic seasonal color, explore annuals for baskets, including options for creating full, colorful displays. If you want to simplify watering, pair your plant choices with the 16" Weekender® Hanging Planter, a self-watering option that can help reduce the need for daily watering.

Find the Right Plants for Sun or Shade

Whether you’re planning a bright full-sun basket, adding color to a part-shade porch, or filling a shadier spot, start with the growing conditions first. Then, compare bloom time, water needs, and plant characteristics to create a basket that suits your space and maintenance preferences. Browse the collection below to find plants for your next hanging basket.

FAQs

Full-sun baskets do well with heat-tolerant trailers like calibrachoa, lantana, and portulaca, while shaded spots favor begonias, lobelia, and fuchsia. Matching light exposure to the plant's needs is the biggest factor in basket success, since sun-loving varieties can scorch in shade and shade plants can wilt in direct sun.

Yes, combining a mix of upright, filler, and trailing plants creates a fuller, more dynamic basket display. Popular combinations pair a trailing variety like bacopa or sweet potato vine with a bushier bloomer for contrast in texture and height. Matching water and sun needs across varieties keeps the combination thriving.

The best hanging basket plants have a naturally trailing or cascading growth habit and produce continuous blooms without heavy deadheading. Compact root systems that adapt well to container life are also important, since basket space is limited compared to garden beds.

Trailing foliage plants like creeping Jenny or Dichondra add texture and continuous color without relying on blooms, while flowering trailers like petunias or verbena offer seasonal color bursts. Many gardeners combine both types in one basket for layered visual interest throughout the season.

Hanging baskets generally perform best with a lightweight, well-draining potting mix rather than dense garden soil. This type of mix retains enough moisture for consistent watering while draining excess water, which helps prevent root rot in the confined space of a hanging container.