Lavender Plants for Hanging Baskets: A Beautiful and Fragrant Addition

Lavender is one of the most popular herbs grown in gardens thanks to its incredible fragrance and vibrant purple flowers. With its shrubby form and pretty blooms, lavender also makes an excellent choice for planting in hanging baskets. The trailing stems and colorful flowers cascading over the edges create a beautiful display.

In this article, we’ll look at how to select the best lavender varieties for hanging baskets and provide tips for successfully growing these delightful plants in containers.

Why Choose Lavender for Hanging Baskets?

There are many reasons why lavender is perfectly suited for growing in hanging baskets

• Form – Many lavender varieties have a compact rounded shape that works well in the smaller spaces of baskets. Their mounding shape shows off beautifully.

• Fragrance – One of lavender’s most prized qualities is its fresh, floral scent that perfumes the air. Hanging baskets allow you to position that delightful fragrance where you can best appreciate it.

• Flowers – The abundant flower spikes add long-lasting color through spring and summer. As they bloom, the flowers cascade attractively over the basket edges.

• Low Maintenance – Once established, lavender thrives with minimal care. The free-draining environment of a hanging basket also suits it perfectly.

• Drought Tolerance – Lavender’s Mediterranean origins mean it is well adapted to thrive in the fast-draining, sandy soils provided by hanging baskets.

Choosing the Best Varieties

With over 40 different lavender species, there are many options to consider. The best choices for growing in hanging baskets include:

• English Lavender – Compact varieties like ‘Munstead’, ‘Hidcote’, and ‘Twickle Purple’ are ideal for containers.

• Spanish Lavender – ‘Melissa Lilac’ is a dwarf Spanish lavender that forms a tight mound topped with upright flower spikes.

• French Lavender – Try ‘Grosso’ for its bushy shape and prolific blooms. It has long stems perfect for draping gracefully over basket edges.

• Hybrids – ‘Ellagance Purple’ is a sturdy, early blooming hybrid with abundant flowers and a tidy, mounding shape – perfect for hanging baskets.

Growing Tips for Success

Follow these tips to keep your lavender happy and thriving in a hanging basket:

• Sun Exposure – For prolific flowering, lavender requires at least 6 hours of full sun daily. Hang the basket in the sunniest spot available.

• Soil – Use a lightweight potting mix amended with extra perlite or gravel to improve drainage. This mimics lavender’s preference for dry, sandy soils.

• Drainage – Ensure the basket has sufficient drainage holes. You can line it with landscape fabric to maintain airflow to the roots.

• Watering – Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, then saturate it completely until water drains from the bottom. Too much moisture can cause root rot.

• Fertilizing – Apply a slow release fertilizer at planting time. Liquid feed monthly through the growing season for optimal growth and blooms.

• Pruning – Trim plants after the first flush of flowers to encourage a compact, mounding shape. Avoid heavy fall pruning.

• Overwintering – Move plants indoors before frost if you live in a colder climate zone. Keep them in a sunny window and water when the soil dries out.

Designing with Lavender Hanging Baskets

When it comes to designing with lavender hanging baskets, you have lots of fabulous options:

• Monochromatic – Planting different purple lavender varieties together makes a bold, beautiful statement.

• Complementary Colors – Combine the purple blooms with blue lobelia and white alyssum for a lively patriotic-themed basket.

• Contrasting Textures – Mix lavender with finely cut, ferny greens like asparagus fern for visual interest.

• Culinary Herbs – Partner with rosemary, oregano or thyme for a delightful cooking basket.

• Pollinator Garden – Add lavender to a bee-friendly basket with foxglove, salvia, and other pollinator-attracting blooms.

• Fragrance Sensation – Combine with scented geraniums and lemon verbena for a heavenly scented hanging garden.

Caring for Lavender Hanging Baskets

Caring for lavender in hanging baskets is easy with proper planting and care:

• Select a lightweight potting mix and amend it with extra perlite or gravel for excellent drainage.

• Place a layer of landscape fabric over the drainage holes to maintain airflow to the roots.

• Set new plants at the same depth they were growing in their nursery pots.

• After planting, water thoroughly and allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

• Apply a slow release fertilizer at planting time to support growth.

• Prune back after initial flowering to encourage bushy regrowth.

• Move indoors before frost if growing lavender as an annual.

• Refresh the basket with new plants each spring to maintain vigor.

Tips for Overwintering Potted Lavender

In areas with cold winters, you’ll need to protect potted lavender by overwintering it indoors:

• Bring plants inside before the first frost. Choose the sunniest indoor spot you have.

• Continue watering whenever the soil dries out, but avoid overwatering.

• Watch for common pests like aphids, mealybugs and spider mites.

• Prune lightly to maintain shape. Avoid heavy pruning that stimulates growth.

• The cooler temperatures and limited water mimic outdoor dormancy. Don’t fertilize while overwintering.

• In spring after frost danger has passed, transition the plants back outside.

• Gradually reacclimate them to prevent transplant shock.

Enjoying Fragrance and Color

With its cascading purple blooms and lovely scent, lavender is sure to add beauty, fragrance and charm to your hanging baskets. Select compact varieties suited to container growing and give them well-drained soil and ample sunlight. With proper care, lavender makes a stunning addition to any hanging basket design.