[digalotty]

Hi, I'm starting some hanging baskets and have been told to use non stop begonias ,  I would also like sweet pea and fuchsias ,
When is the best time to start them and what do you put in yours ,  pictures welcome

[New shoot]

Non stops are upright plants, so they will be OK for the centre of the basket, so long as you can get to them to deadhead.  They have big flowers that can fall into the middle of the plant and rot it if you are not careful.

Trailing begonias might be a better bet.  You should be able to buy corms now at the garden centre or plants later.  Trailing (really just dwarf) sweet peas are easy from seed, but there should be pots of seedlings around to buy if you prefer.  Fuchias will be available in 9cm pots now - there are a huge range of trailing ones 

There are really no rules to hanging baskets, so put in what you like the look of.  Summer bedding needs to be kept not just frost free, but warm as well, so unless you have a heated greenhouse, it may be best to wait a while yet.  Most garden centres have 9cm pots of basket for plants for around £1.99 each and there is usually a multi-buy on these.  You can also get colour coded kits of a mix of plants that are good value 

[DANNY]

Hello digalotty
Now as im sure you'll know I now live in france but for many year ive grown all kinds of baskets/troughs etc and since moving here to france i must admit ive had my eyes opened when i first saw all the french baskets etc and the most hardy and most flowering baskets are made using geraniums,

They like the dryer conditions and this helps if your not home and the sun appears blazing away,
they are a plant that both likes and will do better if they are crowded in the basket
 and you can have verious geraniums in the same basket ie trailing (known as ivy geraniums) and the more bushy type that dont hang but fill the open space,

They like weekly feeding and i feel are a good choice for a long summer basket that looks good all summer,
 
I keep my own baskets /troughs dead headed by regular daily inspection and they really set the outside of the house off
Plus the well and verious pots on the patio,
Geraniums are a good buy and you can over winter them for next years use.