GARDENING
GARDENING
• Select a flat-based container 25-30 cm / 10-12 in wide and 13-15 cm / 5-7 in deep . Form a 2.5 cm / l in deep layer of pea gravel in the base . Water the plants and allow them to drain before putting them in the container .
• Fill the container with plants from the centre to the outside . Sphagnum moss placed around the edges and between pots makes the display more attractive .
• The potting soil of the individual pots must be visible so the plants can be watered .
Some suggestions on which plants to chose for your indoor hanging basket include the following :
Flowering Plants ( trailing types )
• Lipstick Vine ( Aseschynathus radicans )— Bright red , tubular flowers with creamy yellow throats ; oval glossy green leaves ; trails to 60 cm ; prefers semi-shade , especially in summer
• Goldfish Plant ( Columnea microphylla )— Bright orange flowers that truly do resemble fish ; prefers bright spot away from direct light
• Italian Bellflower or Star of Bethlehem ( Campanula isophylla )— Soft blue , 2.5 cm flowers on cascading stems ; prefers full sun
• Flame Violet ( Episcia cupreata )— Bright scarlet red flowers ; oval , wrinkled , green leaves flecked with copper ; trailing habit ; does not tolerate direct sun but needs a bright location
Foliage Plants ( trailing types )
• Spider Plant ( Chlorophytum comosum )— Long , grassy leaves that are green or striped yellow or white ; prefers bright , indirect light
• Rosary Vine or String of Hearts ( Ceropegia woodii )— 1 m trailing , purplish stems that bear 7 mm heart-shaped , succulent leaves with silver-mottled tops and purplish undersides ; prefers bright , indirect light
• Emerald or Asparagus Fern ( Asparagus densiflorus ‘ Sprengeri ’)— Form-arching canes that are clothed in 2.5 cm-long fake leaves called cladophylls , which are actually modified branchlets while the true leaves take the form of small , soft spines ; prefers part sun to semi-shade
• Wandering Jew ( Zebrina pendula )— Trailing leaves that are reddish-purple beneath , silverygreen above with narrow purple edges and a central purple stripe ; tolerates low light but grows best in bright , indirect light
• Golden Pothos ( Epipremnum aureum )— Heart-shaped leaves that are variegated ( green with blotches of golden-yellow ); prefers bright , indirect light
Hanging houseplants can add interest to rooms without taking up floor space . The vertical dimension is an underutilized decorating space and one that can add so much to a room . Plants can transform a cold space into one of warmth . Consider looking up . news & views WINTER 2016 | 17