Our Best Baskets for Mom

1l: Wildscape for Sun; 1r: Garden Classic; 2: Modern Succulent Mix; 3: Wildscape for Shade

Our favorite gift for Mom this spring is a beautiful hanging basket, planted to brighten her porch or patio. Our nursery experts designed the baskets above to be as unique as Mom herself, with styles to suit natural beauties, garden traditionalists, free spirits, and more. We'll have these plantings in stock at both stores this weekend, with lots of new arrivals at Westport's Dig into Spring Festival on Saturday, 4/30. You can also build your own basket during our nursery workshops at 10A or 3:30P. Before the festival, we asked our experts how these distinctive plantings took shape. 

Our stylists recommend a simple design method using three types of plants: “Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers.” The main attractions are the “Thrillers”-- plants with height that add drama and vertical interest. Grasses, flowers, or unique foliage plants all make excellent focal pieces. “Fillers” tend to be more rounded or mounded plants that make the planter look full and balanced. These should be placed midway between the thrillers and the edge of the pot. “Spillers” are trailing plants that hang over the edge of the vessel. If using a hanging planter, these are the plants that you’ll see stretching out and downward. Mixing colors and varieties of spillers is a great opportunity to play with pattern, texture, and form. With these design tips in mind, read on for more about three of our favorite baskets for Mom.

Wildscapes: Wild and sprawling styles for the down-to-earth mom, these natural plantings in jute-lined metal baskets bring a piece of the landscape home. Earthy, textural designs focus on foliage and native plants, while an arching form will expand organically throughout the season. The sun-loving style highlights meadow grasses and flowers, while the shade-loving basket focuses on ferns, mosses, and other forest-floor plants.

Garden Classics: Overflowing with vibrant textures and blooms, these elegant metal baskets are perfect for moms with timeless style. Plantings will bloom consistently throughout summer and fall, while the fragrant and colorful flowers will attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. 

Modern Succulent Mix: This balanced, clean collection of sun-loving succulents in a fiber pot is perfect for busy moms with contemporary style. Crisp and compact, it gains depth of interest from unusual plant combinations and diverse textures. Drought tolerant and easy to maintain, it’s user-friendly and great for frequent travelers.

Find these styles or make a custom planting for Mom at the Dig into Spring Festival, this Saturday in Westport.