Tips For Arranging And Locating Your Summer Hanging Basket

Hanging baskets are a beautiful way to add interest and colour to a patio, garden or balcony. When positioning the basket it’s important to consider the aesthetics and also the optimum location for the plants to thrive. Here are some helpful tips. 

Choosing the right location

To give your blooms the best chance to thrive, choose a location that suits their requirements, or plants that suit your desired location for the basket.

• Most flowers will require full sun, but some species may prefer partial shade.
•  Avoid overly exposed spots where wind could damage the plants or even upturn the basket.
• The hanging basket should be at an accessible height for watering and trimming the plants.
• When fixing the hanging basket bracket, aim for eye level, or stagger multiple baskets at different heights to create depth and interest. However, do not crowd the plants too closely together as they need air circulation and adequate light. 

Selecting the best hanging basket brackets

Sturdy metal brackets that can support the weight of the basket easily are recommended. It is worth remembering that:

• A watered basket loaded with soil and fully grown plants will be quite heavy, so both the bracket and the structure you are attaching it to need to be strong and durable.
• The hanging basket bracket needs to be properly fitted, especially if like us you live in a windy location. 80mph winds brought down one of my baskets this winter so clearly this is an area I can improve on! 
  
• There are a lot of cheap, mass produced hanging basket brackets available online, and their low cost reflects their quality and lifespan. It's definitely worth doing your research if you want your hanging basket brackets to last more than about 2 years!

The style and design of the hanging basket bracket can contribute to the overall effect, so it’s worth putting some thought into this as well as your flowers! Black Fox Metalcraft offer a range of exceptional quality hanging basket brackets, each combining the hand crafted aesthetic of the forged bar, with a laser cut profile.

Black Fox Metalcraft's varied range of hand forged hanging basket brackets are a great way to add a decorative, artistic touch to your outdoor space, enhancing the beauty of your garden and complementing your own unique style. Modern laser cutting techniques mean that the design can be as detailed or as bold as you wish. Themes for our bracket designs range from favourite pets and wildlide to vehicles and architectural details.

However, you can commission a custom design based on your hobbies and interests, local landmarks, or an abstract shape such as a scroll, or an intricate pattern; the possibilities are endless! Bespoke hanging basket brackets can make a wonderful housewarming gift, or a present for any occasion. There are a couple of custom hanging basket bracket designs shown below:

• A simple design created to reflect the shape of our customers gothic arched window. 
• A motorbiking couple commissioned a bespoke bracket featuring their motorcycle; they've even used an old helmet as a basket for their plants!
• A lady, a dog and some important initials made up a bespoke hanging basket bracket design for one family.

   

Black Fox Metalcraft's hanging basket brackets are forged by hand from 10mm square bar using centuries old blacksmithing techniques. The laser cut profile is cut from 3 mm steel - you can tell the quality just from looking at them. They are expertly hand crafted and electroplated with zinc for rust protection, and finished with a matt black powder coat that is baked on at 170 degrees, so are designed to look great for years, not just a couple of seasons. 

A recent customer review we were delighted to recieve from a customer in Australia states:

" We received a pair of hanging basket brackets as a wedding gift 2.5 years ago and they still look good as new, despite the often brutal weather here in Australia! Both are beautiful designs- intricate detailing yet strong and durable. We are delighted that Black Fox Metalcraft is able to ship this far. A wonderful gift."

Selecting and maintaining plants for your hanging basket 

Most types of flowering plants will do well in your basket, but professional gardeners tend to plant tall and eye-catching plants in the centre, bushier green-leaved plants around it, and trailing plants around the edges that will cascade over the side of the basket. This provides a variety of height, texture, shape and colour, helping to create a visually appealing display. 

Hanging baskets need watering regularly to prevent them drying out, because the plants cannot extract groundwater. Add a plant food for best results, and deadhead and prune the plants to encourage vigorous growth. 

I hope this guide has given you some ideas as a starting point for creating your perfect summer hanging baskets! If you are looking for a custom hanging bascket bracket, contact Black Fox Metalcraft today to discuss your ideas, or get a no obligation quote for a set of brackets.