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
Two small white Charmed® Wine Shamrock (Oxalis) flowers bloom among deep purple, clover-shaped leaves. The contrast highlights the delicate petals against the richly colored foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCCharmed® Wine Shamrock (Oxalis) - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Charmed® Wine Shamrock (Oxalis)

$10.99
$10.99

The Color Statement Annual Combination features a hanging basket filled with vibrant pink, white, and striped petunias, creating a dense, abundant three-in-one display secured by a sturdy metal chain for easy hanging - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Color Statement Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

A close-up of the vibrant pink Cora® Cascade Cherry Vinca (Catharanthus) bloom with five petals, glossy green leaves, and a pink bud - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.The Cora® Cascade Cherry Vinca (Catharanthus) features vibrant pink blooms and lush green foliage; this drought-tolerant, trailing plant stands out beautifully against a plain white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Cora® Cascade Cherry Vinca (Catharanthus)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of two Cora® Cascade Lavender with Eye Vinca flowers, each with five petals and pale yellow centers, surrounded by glossy green leaves. These drought-tolerant Catharanthus blooms stand out against a softly blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A drought-tolerant potted Cora® Cascade Lavender with Eye Vinca (Catharanthus) with numerous bright lavender flowers and glossy green leaves, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Cora® Cascade Lavender with Eye Vinca (Catharanthus)

$10.99
$10.99
A lush mound of Cora® Cascade Polka Dot Vinca (Catharanthus), prized for drought-tolerant blooms, cascades over a stone garden wall with vibrant red flowers and green grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Cora® Cascade Polka Dot Vinca (Catharanthus) features clusters of pale pink, five-petaled blooms with bright red centers amid dark green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Cora® Cascade Polka Dot Vinca (Catharanthus)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of a single Cora® Cascade Shell Pink® Vinca (Catharanthus) flower, featuring five petals and a darker pink center with a tiny yellowish spot, set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Two pink Cora® Cascade Shell Pink® Vinca (Catharanthus) flowers with dark centers and five petals each, surrounded by glossy green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Cora® Cascade Shell Pink® Vinca (Catharanthus)

$10.99
$10.99

A trailing Cora® Cascade Violet Vinca (Catharanthus) with bright pink flowers and glossy green leaves spills from a black pot on a white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.Close-up of a vibrant Cora® Cascade Violet Vinca (Catharanthus) flower with five petals and a small yellow center, set against a blurred green leafy background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Cora® Cascade Violet Vinca (Catharanthus)

$10.99
$10.99

The Crushed Pineapple Annual Combination features a white ceramic chevron pot with lush green foliage and vibrant yellow and white flowers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Crushed Pineapple Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

Close-up of Dark Eyes Trailing Fuchsia, showcasing deep purple and bright pink petals, with several buds and blooms set against lush green leaves in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of Dark Eyes Trailing Fuchsia shows red outer petals and deep purple inner petals hanging from green stems against a blurred greenhouse background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Dark Eyes Trailing Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99

The Decadent Annual Combination is a white hanging basket featuring a mix of vibrant petunias in purple, red, and white, accented by lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Decadent Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

A close-up of Diamantina™ Coral Orange Sunrise Dipladenia, a tropical plant with five coral-pink petals, a yellow center, and glossy green leaves, blooms vibrantly amid blurred similar flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of Diamantina™ Coral Orange Sunrise Dipladenia, a tropical flowering plant with orange-pink petals and a yellow center, surrounded by green leaves and buds against a softly blurred background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Diamantina™ Coral Orange Sunrise Dipladenia

$15.99
$15.99

A dense cluster of small white flowers with narrow petals and green leaves, likely Diamond Frost® Euphorbia, a drought-tolerant plant, is surrounded by other plants with purple and pink blooms in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCBright red flowers, a cluster of small purple blooms, and white Diamond Frost® Euphorbia with lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Diamond Frost® Euphorbia

$10.99
$10.99

Brighten your container gardens with the Do You Lilac It? Annual Combination—a lush hanging basket featuring purple, lavender, and white blooms with Supertunia Royal Velvet petunias, phlox, and vibrant green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Do You Lilac It? Annual Combination

$15.99
$15.99

Close-up of Double Delight® Appleblossom Begonia flowers with pale pink and creamy white petals, soft yellow centers, and dark green foliage. This fragrant hanging basket plant has delicately overlapping, airy blooms - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A beige ceramic pot brims with lush foliage and profuse white and pink Double Delight® Appleblossom Begonia blooms - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Double Delight® Appleblossom Begonia

$11.99
$11.99

The Double Delight® Blush Rose Begonia displays soft pink and pale yellow ruffled petals, set against lush dark green leaves in this beautiful tuberous begonia arrangement - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of the Double Delight® Blush Rose Begonia, showcasing fragrant layered pink petals with a yellow center and water droplets, surrounded by green leaves and a partially visible yellow flower - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Double Delight® Blush Rose Begonia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of the Double Delight® Primrose Begonia, featuring ruffled yellow petals edged in pink and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of fragrant Double Delight® Primrose Begonia, surrounded by small white blossoms and green leaves with red buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Double Delight® Primrose Begonia

$11.99
$11.99
Close-up of Double Up™ Pink Begonia: vibrant, ruffled pink blooms form a dense, textured display amid glossy green leaves with reddish edges - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCDouble Up™ Pink Begonia features vibrant, ruffled pink blooms and glossy green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Double Up™ Pink Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of Double Up™ Red Begonia, featuring vibrant red blooms and glossy green leaves in a blue pot. Blurred greenery background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of vibrant Double Up™ Red Begonia blooms with ruffled petals and yellow centers, surrounded by dark green leaves. Densely clustered, these flowers create a striking display ideal for sun or shade - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Double Up™ Red Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Double Up™ White Begonia featuring ruffled double blooms and dark green, textured leaves. The clustered flowers create a lush, vibrant display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of Double Up™ White Begonia featuring heat-tolerant, ruffled double blooms and dense white flowers amid dark green and reddish-brown leaves, creating a lush, textured appearance - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Double Up™ White Begonia

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of Dragon Wing® Pink Angelwing Begonia flowers with smooth, rounded petals and glossy green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCDragon Wing® Pink Angelwing Begonia features vibrant blooms surrounded by glossy green foliage. This image highlights a close-up of the plant’s striking petals and lush leaves in natural light - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Dragon Wing® Pink Angelwing Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of vibrant red Dragon Wing® Red Angelwing Begonia flowers with yellow centers and heart-shaped green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA garden bed with lush green foliage and clusters of vibrant Dragon Wing® Red Angelwing Begonia blooms sits in front of a house, with a tree, shrubs, hanging baskets, and a porch visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Dragon Wing® Red Angelwing Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of frilly, multicolored Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola) flowers in pink, purple, yellow, and white with green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.A close-up of an Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola) showcases pale pink and purple, ruffled petals that evoke soft, wavy blooms against a green, blurred background - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.

Elegance Antoinette Collection Pansy (Viola)

$14.99
$14.99

Clusters of Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola) bloom in rich purple, lavender, red, and violet above green stems—ideal for adding vibrant color with cool-season pansies against a softly blurred backdrop - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.Close-up of Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola) featuring ruffled purple petals with white and dark edges, set among green leaves. The intricate textures and vibrant colors make these cool-season pansies stand out - Photo Courtesy of Tagawa Greenhouses, Inc.

Elegance Twilight Collection Pansy (Viola)

$14.99
$14.99

Three pale, star-shaped flowers with light purple veins bloom among green leaves. Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet offers delicate, five-pointed petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a white browallia with faint purple veins, green leaves, and blurred red flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet (Browallia)

$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.