I’d like to keep my hanging baskets going over winter. Can you suggest plants for them, but something other than ivy, pansies and violas please?

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Winter-flowering pansies are ideal for containers and winter hanging baskets, but they aren’t the only option.

Try hellebore (pictured) – a fantastic plant that flowers in deep winter. It comes in a range of colours, including white, green and reddish petals.

I would also recommend polyanthus, which is a good bedding plant. Cyclamen is another good choice.

You can also try winter-flowering heather, which blooms for months on end and is really bright. It comes in pink, purple and white. It’s also a really hardy plant, so it will thrive in containers even in the cold winter weather.

Why not try adding spring bulbs to keep your hanging baskets going in late winter and early spring too? Snowdrops and daffodils are always popular.

Top tips

An important thing to remember when planting hanging baskets for winter is that they should be full from the very start. This is because they probably won’t grow much before spring.

Therefore, it’s great to choose evergreen and perennial plants that will live on way past spring, and provide structure through the colder months.