Hanging baskets: Simple designs ensure success with Supertunias
Create stunning hanging baskets using a single flower
Every spring I get excited about creating our many hanging baskets.
I imagine spectacular baskets rivalling the massive ones that line the streets of our town, or the hanging baskets that take our breath away in tourist areas like Niagara On The Lake or along the main road of Michigan’s Mackinac Island.
A hummingbird feeds from a feeder among the Supertunia vista Bubblegum growing in a hanging basket.
Of course, these massive hanging baskets in tourist areas are created with no cost restrictions when it comes to plants or maintenance. They’re also often designed by professional landscapers whose primary job is to keep them looking beautiful from the day they are planted until the day they are taken down.
Few of us can hope to duplicate these magnificent baskets, but by taking a simple approach and tapping into the suggestions from Proven Winners and others, it’s possible to create stunning baskets that perform well from spring through fall and require nothing more than regular watering and fertilizing.
Tips to create simple, easy-to-care-for hanging baskets
In other words, unless you are a super diligent gardener (that’s not me), chances are your hanging baskets, window boxes and container plantings are not going to look as good as these magnificent professional plantings. Instead, we need simple, easy-to-care-for hanging baskets that will look great even if they’re ignored for a couple of days.
Choose the right plant material
Thankfully, by choosing the right plant material, we can create hanging baskets that are both beautiful in their simplicity, and easy to maintain.
Most of my success with hanging baskets, window boxes and container plantings have almost always been the result of using Proven Winners supertunia series of plants. It’s important to note that there are different series of supertunia to choose from depending on your wants and needs.
To get the most out of these plants, it’s important to place them in an area that gets full sun or at least six hours of sun a day. They can survive on less sun, but may not flower as profusely.
These petunias take centre stage in the trio of hanging baskets.
Supertunia offers different series to best meet your needs
The Supertunia series offers a wide variety of beautiful flowers that are perfect for hanging baskets. One popular series is Supertunia Vista, which includes stunning varieties like “Supertunia Vista Bubblegum” and “Supertunia Vista Silverberry.” These flowers are known for their vibrant colors and vigorous growth, making them ideal for creating eye-catching hanging baskets.
Another series to consider is the Supertunia Mini Vista, which features smaller flowers that are perfect for adding delicate charm to your hanging baskets. Varieties like “Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star” offer dainty pink star-shaped blooms that create a serene and graceful look.
Supertunia vista Bubblegum is an excellent flower to grow by itself in a hanging basket because of its incredible flowering throughout the season.
If you prefer a more sophisticated and elegant display, the Supertunia Bordeaux series is a great choice.
The deep burgundy flowers of the “Supertunia Bordeaux” variety add a touch of luxury to your hanging basket, especially when paired with the bright yellow blooms of the “Supertunia Limoncello” variety.
Lastly, for a bold and attention-grabbing display, consider the Supertunia Royal Velvet series. The rich purple flowers of the “Supertunia Royal Velvet” variety create a striking contrast when combined with the vibrant fuchsia blooms of the “Supertunia Vista Fuchsia” variety.
Supertunia Bordeaux is a standout from Proven Winners.
By choosing from the various Supertunia series, you can create visually stunning hanging baskets that are sure to impress. Remember to consider the light and water requirements of each variety to ensure their success.
Proven Winners Supertunia categories
Breaking down Proven Winners’ various categories can be a bit confusing, but here is a simplified explanation:
The Vista series: Proven Winners describes its Supertunia Vista series in the following way. “Supertunia Vista® petunias are very vigorous, with mounding habits that can reach up to 2 feet in the landscape and will trail over the edges of baskets and containers up to 3 feet by the end of the season. They are fantastic landscape plants and are great in large containers, where they function as both fillers and spillers. In garden beds, they will work either in the front or middle of the bed. They have medium-sized flowers. They are the largest Supertunias both in height and width.”
Flowers in this series include: Silverberry (white with a dark fuschia interior), Jazzberry (Fuschia with a darker interior), Fuchsia, Bubblegum, Snowdrift and Paradise.
Mini Vista series: Proven Winners describes its Mini Vista series in the following way. “Supertunia Mini Vista petunias are mounded, but will also spill over the edges of containers. They are great container plants and will function as both spillers and fillers in combination planters. They are incredibly good landscape plants, best used at the front of beds. They are very densely branched plants. They have small to very small flowers, similar in size to a large Superbells Calibrachoa flower. They are a great substitute for Calibrachoa in landscapes without excellent drainage – Calibrachoa require excellent drainage to thrive, while petunias are much more forgiving.
Flowers in this Mini Vista category include: Ultramarine (deep purple), Yellow, Midnight and Scarlet.
Bordeaux series: This appears to be a single flower style with purple outer flower and deeper color in the inside.
Standard Supertunia: Proven Winner’s describes their other Supertunias in the following way. “Standard Supertunia petunias are vigorous with slightly mounded habits that function as both fillers and spillers in containers. They are also excellent landscape plants, best suited to be placed near the front of beds. They have medium to large sized flowers. Compared to Supertunia Vista, these plants are shorter, but over time can almost match the spread of a Vista. They function as fillers and spillers in combination recipes.
These purple supertunias from Proven Winners take centre stage in this window basket.
Supertunia Bubblegum is my favourite
I particularly like the performance of Supertunia supervista Bubblegum. It’s one on the colour indulgences I allow in my garden and by looking at the Proven Winners page on this plant, it’s easy to understand why I lean into Bubblegum. Check out this Proven Winners page of Bubblegum magic.
Now, that’s not to say similar results can’t be achieved by say, Wave petunias or any of the other brands of petunias, but I have to admit that Proven Winners products have never let me down.
Supertunia vista snowdrift is an excellent addition to any basket to lighten it up and intensify the colours of other flowers in the hanging basket.
For smaller hanging baskets, try using a single flower
More often than not, my greatest successes has come by using a single flower or at best combining two supertunias in a single basket.
Imagine a hanging basket dripping with lovely pink bubblegum-colored-flowers in your landscape. I use supervista bubblegum in containers throughout the landscape to add colour in distant areas of the garden.
How many plants should I put in a hanging basket?
One plant is usually enough to eventually fill out our rather small hanging baskets, but two plants helps to get the process started quicker and ensures a more fuller-looking basket.
Creating a simplified hanging basket using a minimal approach can greatly contribute to the visual success of your display.
By focusing on a single supertunia variety, you can achieve a cohesive and visually pleasing arrangement. This approach not only simplifies the design process but also ensures that the plants in your hanging basket have similar watering and sunlight needs.
Supertunia vista Bubblegum is a stunner in any landscape.
Using a single supertunia allows you to highlight the unique characteristics and vibrant colors of the chosen variety. Whether it’s the bold red of the Supertunia® Royal Velvet or the delicate pink of the Supertunia® Vista Bubblegum, a single variety can make a strong visual impact.
This minimalistic approach also prevents overcrowding and allows each plant to thrive and reach its full potential. Moreover, focusing on a single supertunia variety simplifies maintenance. Watering and fertilizing become easier since all the plants in the hanging basket have the same requirements. This ensures that each plant receives the appropriate care, leading to healthier growth and more abundant blooms.
In summary, creating a simplified hanging basket using a minimal approach not only enhances the visual appeal but also simplifies maintenance. By choosing a single supertunia variety, you can achieve a cohesive and visually stunning display while ensuring that all plants receive the care they need.
Single plants Simplifies watering
When you choose a single supertunia variety, you can easily determine the watering needs of the plants.
When plants in a hanging basket have similar needs, it becomes easier to provide them with the right care and maintenance.
This is especially important in hanging baskets, as they tend to dry out more quickly than plants in the ground. By selecting plants with similar water requirements, you can avoid overwatering or underwatering certain plants, leading to healthier growth and more vibrant blooms. Similarly, sunlight needs can vary among different plant varieties. By using a single supertunia, you can ensure that all the plants in the hanging basket receive the appropriate amount of sunlight. This prevents some plants from becoming leggy or weak due to insufficient light, while others may become scorched from too much sun exposure.
Here is an example of using supertunias in containers to add colour to a corner of the garden.
When a single variety just won’t cut it
Proven Winners, a renowned gardening brand, emphasizes the success of using combinations of supertunias in creating cohesive hanging baskets.
By selecting different varieties of supertunias, you can achieve a stunning display of colors, textures, and growth habits.
One advantage of using combinations is the ability to create visual interest. By mixing supertunias with varying flower colors, such as the vibrant "Royal Velvet" and the delicate "White Charm", you can create a captivating contrast that adds depth and dimension to your hanging basket.
Additionally, combining supertunias with different growth habits, like the trailing “Vista Bubblegum” and the mounding “Pretty Much Picasso”, adds visual variety and creates a more dynamic arrangement.
Another benefit of using combinations is the opportunity to cater to different light and water requirements. While all supertunias have similar needs, some varieties may prefer slightly more shade or moisture than others.
By selecting a mix of supertunias that thrive in different conditions, you can ensure that your hanging basket remains healthy and vibrant, even in challenging environments.
Proven Winners also highlights the importance of selecting supertunias with similar growth rates. This ensures that no single variety overpowers the others, resulting in a harmonious and balanced display.
By considering the growth habits and characteristics of each supertunia, you can create a cohesive hanging basket that showcases the beauty of each individual plant while maintaining an overall sense of unity.
In summary, Proven Winners encourages the use of combinations of supertunias in hanging baskets to create visually stunning and cohesive displays. By selecting supertunias with different colors, growth habits, and light and water requirements, you can achieve a vibrant and thriving hanging basket that will be the envy of all.
Proven Winners’ combinations that work well together
Finally, let’s explore some Proven Winners combinations of supertunias that work well together. For a complete list of Proven Winners Supertunias, check out the post on their site entitled 23 Colorful Supertunias for your garden
These combinations have been carefully curated to ensure visual appeal and harmonious growth. One popular combination is the “Supertunia Vista Bubblegum” and “Supertunia Vista Silverberry.” The vibrant pink blooms of the Bubblegum variety contrast beautifully with the soft purple flowers of the Silverberry. This combination creates a stunning display of color and texture in your hanging basket.
Another winning combination is the “Supertunia Bordeaux” and “Supertunia Limoncello.” The deep burgundy flowers of the Bordeaux variety pair perfectly with the bright yellow blooms of the Limoncello. This combination adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to your hanging basket.
For a more subtle and delicate look, consider the “Supertunia White” and “Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star.” The pure white flowers of the White variety create a serene backdrop for the pink star-shaped blooms of the Mini Vista Pink Star. This combination exudes grace and charm.
If you prefer a bold and eye-catching display, try the “Supertunia Royal Velvet” and “Supertunia Vista Fuchsia.” The rich purple flowers of the Royal Velvet variety complement the vibrant fuchsia blooms of the Vista Fuchsia, creating a striking contrast that demands attention.
By choosing these Proven Winners combinations of supertunias, you can create visually stunning hanging baskets that are sure to impress. Remember to consider the light and water requirements of each variety to ensure their success. With these combinations, you can enjoy a beautiful and thriving display of supertunias in your hanging baskets.
Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and shares his photography with readers.