HANGING baskets are great for gardens of all sizes as they brighten up the space without taking up much room but some can also be used indoors.

We're not all lucky enough to have a large garden to fill with flowers, making hanging baskets a great way to exercise your green thumb if you're working with limited space.

But before you dive right in and buy a hanging basket for yourself, read our guide to choosing the best design for your home.

A good hanging basket doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

In fact, you can get budget-friendly ones that start from under £10.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you’ll also be able to find hanging baskets that cost upwards of £50 and come with fancy brackets and special liners.

If you’re into upcycling, you can even make your own from old colanders, glass jars or pots and pans.

But if you’re shopping around for a ready-made one, we’ve found options across different budgets and styles below.

This wreath-shaped hanging basket is great for those who are looking for something low maintenance and a little less bulky.

The small capacity means it’s best suited for plants that don’t need that much soil, like succulents and air plants (epiphytes), or ones that are happy to climb a frame.

This one measures 41cm at its widest point but you can also get a smaller version if you’re pressed for space.

These hanging vases require very little maintenance. All you need to do is keep them topped up with water and clean them out every now and then.

You get three different shapes in one pack - water drop, diamond and triangle - as well as twine to hang it up.

It’s best for indoor plants such as Devil’s Ivy that can live in water.

Slightly more traditional in design, this cone-shaped hanging basket is ideal for plants that need deeper soil to thrive.

It measures 35cm at its widest point, so it’s pretty large too.

The basket has been pre-lined so you can start planting as soon as you receive it.

This unusual design takes its inspiration from Japanese kokedamas, which are basically plants potted in a moss ball.

You’ll have to line this one with moss yourself to create the look but it should be much easier to care for than traditional kokedamas.

The wire ball is available in a set of three, which you can hang in a row, or you can buy them individually.

For a classy alternative to the hanging basket, why not try a hanging shelf?

This macrame-style hanger is designed so you can place a potted plant on top, with no need to do any fiddly lining.

It’s around 30cm at its widest point and hangs down at 89cm so you’ll need plenty of space in your home in a spot that you’re unlikely to walk into.

This rustic metal hanging basket is great for those with smaller outdoor spaces.

It doesn’t take up as much room as traditional round baskets but still has space for three sets of plants.

The size means you’re limited as to what you can plant but it’s ideal if you just want to add a bit of colour to your home.

This glass hanging planter is best suited for indoor use and with plants such as succulents where you can show off the layers in the soil as well as the plant itself.

It comes with a leather hanging tie that’s adjustable in length so you can make it longer or shorter to suit your home.

There are also two different sizes to choose from: a 13cm one and a 16cm option.

This is another great option if you’re looking to brighten up your indoor space.

You get 15 glass vials across three wooden tiers, which you can fill with cuttings of plants that will happily live in water.

And as there are so many spaces to fill, you can choose from a few different plants to make it look more interesting.

These budget-friendly hanging baskets are great for side plantings.

They have cutouts that make it easy for you to pot plants sideways so they drape down from the side rather than the top of the basket.

Then a lattice gate slots back in to secure the plants in place and you can then pot other plants on top as normal.

For a gorgeously modern display, try this white plastic planter.

It has three cutouts where you can pot your favourite hanging plants.

A nylon rope is included and you can adjust the length to suit your home.

This Seymour sloth planter is great for those looking for a fun addition to their home.

You can either plant directly into the opening or put a potted plant inside.

It doesn’t have any drainage holes though, so if you’re potting directly inside, make sure you don’t overwater.

This ceramic planter works for indoor or outdoor use and is designed to have an antique finish.

Because of the ageing process though, the colour might be slightly different for each one - the base is a floral pattern in a blue and white glaze.

It comes with a cream chain for hanging but you’ll need a fairly strong wall bracket to hang it as it’s much heavier than some of the plastic and metal wire options around.

The main thing you need to consider when choosing a hanging basket is the size.

In general, the bigger the basket the better it is as there will be more space for your plants to grow and less need to regularly trim it.

Depending on the type of plants you’re planning to grow, you may also want to choose one with some depth. 

This has the added benefit of retaining moisture much better, which means less watering for you.

And of course, there’s the design.

While bowl-shaped ones are the classics, you can also get cone and pot-shaped ones.

Once you’ve picked the size and dimensions, it’s time to think about the material for the exterior and the liner.

It’s worth noting that for indoor displays, you can be a bit more flexible.

For the exterior, the material the basket is made from is mostly dependent on what you like.

That said, if you’re going for a bigger basket, it’s worth investing in a well-made and sturdy option as the contents are going to get pretty heavy, especially when wet.

Metal will be best for strength but ones made from wicker will have a rustic feel that might look nicer in your garden.

You can also opt for plastic ones, which can be more affordable and lightweight.

When it comes to liner for your basket, it’s worth giving it a bit more thought, as this will affect how well the basket drains and water retention.

Liners made from coir, the natural fibre found around coconuts, is really popular and is usually one of the most affordable options around.

They usually come ready-shaped for specific basket sizes, so if you have a more unusual design, they might not be suitable.

Burlap liners can also be cheap and easily moulded according to your design but it drains very well, which means you’ll need to water your basket regularly.

It’s less of a problem for smaller baskets that need regular watering anyway but for larger baskets, your plants can dry out during the day.

Sphagnum moss is the top choice for organic gardeners as it’s naturally free from pests but it can be a bit fiddly to work with.

And finally, there’s Supamoss, which is made from recycled materials with a biodegradable plastic backing that you can easily cut and shaped to your basket.

The material looks and behaves like moss, so it drains well, but is also good at retaining water.

Your local garden centre will always have a handful of options but if you’re looking for a different size or a specific shape, you might have more luck online. 

Waitrose Garden, B&Q, and even budget-friendly Wilko all have a great selection online. You could also try Amazon for more unusual designs. 

Some will even offer pre-planted options so all you have to do is hang and water. For these, try Thompson & Morgan or Dobbies.

It totally depends on what kind of plants you’re planning to put in your hanging basket. 

According to the Royal Horticultural Society, summer baskets should be planted from April onwards and protected from frost until the middle or the end of May.

Year-round plants should also go in at around the same time.

But if you have a winter planting, these should go in between September and October.

When it comes to displaying your hanging basket, there are a few different ways you could do it.

For lighter and smaller baskets, you could hang them from a porch ceiling or similar by installing a hook.

Make sure you check that the material is suitable for this and will hold the weight of the basket, which can get pretty heavy once planted and watered.

Most outdoor hanging baskets are hung from wall-mounted brackets.

You’ll need to get these separately and need to use a drill to fix these in place.

If you have the space and don’t fancy doing any unnecessary drilling, you can also get special stands to hang your baskets.

These also tend to be lower down, which might make watering them a lot easier.

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