With the arrival of spring, gardens are awaking from their winter slumber, bursting into spectacular bloom to welcome warmer weather.

If you are looking to introduce sporadic budding blooms into your space or seeking alternatives to traditional vegetable gardens, hanging basket gardening is for you.

Tiered and elevated container gardening have become increasingly popular, giving gardeners the opportunity to create focal points by elevating blooms while expanding limited garden spaces vertically.

Boksburg Gardening Club member Yolanda Swanepoel recently hosted a hanging basket workshop at La Vie en Rose in Parkrand, guiding participants through the process of planting bountiful basket gardens.

Yolanda is a participant in the upcoming fifth annual Boksburg Open Gardens 2026 — A Garden Affair and founder of The Basket Atelier.

“Hanging basket gardening takes your passion for ‘painting’ with nature’s beauty to a new level,” said the vibrant gardener.

“Through the inclusion of baskets into your garden setting, you can decide on a theme or colour pallet which will create awe-inspiring orbs of splendour, which can be dotted along stark walls or fragrantly frame window frames.

“Due to its elevation you can add the friendly smiling faces of pansies and the top, perhaps include the earthy fragrance of thyme on the sides, while cascading Sting of Pearls, dangle from the bottom, the options are endless.”

Yolanda further explained that when considering basket gardens, it is best to consider containers that are made from with strong and durable frames and high quality shade netting, which offers a sturdy base, while offering UV protection to your seedling’s delicate root system.

Tips for basket planting:

• Plan
When choosing seedlings, consider their unique needs in terms of water consumption.
Where possible opt for hardy water-wise plants and invest in nutrient rich quality potting soil.

• Wet feet for best results
Seedling roots must be wet before planting, do not plant seedlings with dry ‘feet.’

• Layer
Starting from the bottom, make small incisions in the netting working your way to the top.
As you secure the plants in their designated areas, layer soil over the roots before moving on.
Once complete water the basket and allow it to drain.

• Time to settle in
Two to four days after planting gently remove all flowers from the plant.
This will give the plants opportunity to ensure necessary feeding it diverted to the roots, which in turn will make it grow stronger and producing lush blooms.

• Watering
Thoroughly water your basket twice a week.
During severe heat, dunk it in a tub of water until no more air bubbles can be seen escaping from the soil.
Let it drain before hanging.

Be inspired by the diverse and creative uses of hanging baskets on October 11, when seven gardeners from Sunward Park to Libradene will swing open their garden gates for this year’s open gardens tour.

From 09:00 to 16:00 you can peak beyond the boundary walls, meandering through lush suburban oasis.

Participating greening gurus will be on hand to share gardening advice from sustainable grey water harvesting to implementing organic gardening products as well invaluable expertise about establishing blooming beautiful hanging baskets.

Tickets are R100 per person, with proceeds of the event in aid of the Suid-Afrikaanse Vroue Federasie’s (SAVF), Kowa Pienaar old age home, in Elspark, to purchase wheelchairs.

Gardener-approved seedlings, plants, products, hanging baskets as well as refreshments will be on sale at participating gardens while the decadent tea garden will be found at La Vie en Rose.

Tickets are now available at Quicket or can be purchased at the gate on the day.

Participating gardens are:

• Marisa and Bernard McDonald’s Greenhouse (15 Pontac Road, Sunward Park).
• Yolanda Swanepoel’s A timeless cottage garden (18 Explorer Way, Sunward Park).
• Marinda Hawthorn’s Multi-dimensional layer and levels (3 Taurus Street, Sunward Park).
• Edward Wilson’s Botanical paradise (55 Nicholson Road, Sunward Park).
• Colin Leshou’s Buttler’s room to bloom (7 Butler Street, Parkrand).
• Surieta Esterhuizen’s La Vie en Rose (7 Malherbe Street, Parkrand).
• Carin Mathee’s The little pocket English garden (105 Tuscan Estate, 15 Van Heerden Street, Libradene Village).

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