Trailing Succulents in Hanging Baskets with Beth Clevenstine

Hanging planters are, quite literally, one of our favorite ways to upgrade our container gardens for summer. They fill out spaces and keep the eye moving, they’re easy to maintain, endlessly customizable, and add effortless style to patios. Our new (and supremely talented!) stylist Beth Clevenstine says she loves this trio because of “how unexpected they are. Plants like to be rooted in the earth and with hanging plantings like these, we’ve rooted them in the sky. I love the whimsy in that.” Read on to learn more about Beth’s process for creating these hanging baskets, care tips for keeping them healthy, and why they’re absolutely perfect for summer.

(From left to right): Row 1: String of Nickels, Cosmos; Row 2: Graptopetalum, String of Bananas; Row 3: Graptopetalum, wax plant; Row 4: Asparagus Fern, Aeonium cyclops, Donkey Tail; Row 5: Sedeveria, Senecio mandraliscae Blue Chalk Sticks, Echeveria

terrain: Hi Beth! This grouping of hanging gardens is so special—statement-making, lush, and cool. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind these hanging succulent gardens?

Beth: Hi! Thank you! These were so fun to create. I was inspired by how beautiful these trailing plants are on their own and by the possibility the orb offers as a focal point for some green drama. I’ve always had a love for trailing succulents and how they cascade—there’s an amazing balance of structure and flow. Keeping that in mind, I choose primarily long, well grown trailing succulents and offset their structure with a soft cascading asparagus fern. I just love how these two textures play together.

terrain: What are some of the design elements you’re thinking about when creating a planting like this?

Beth: To start, I identify which plant will give me the most texture—that’s my focal plant. I then layer in a smaller plant with a different texture to support the focal plant. Pairing plants with opposite textures is always good, because the contrast between the two really sets off the uniqueness of each plant. When it comes to incorporating color, I grouped the yellow-greens together and offset them with groupings of blue-green plants. A trick that I love to use is to place some of the colorful blooms in a floral water pick and place the pick into the orb. This way, I can update the look of the planter by simply changing the flowers in the water pick!

terrain: How do you know when a planting like this is “finished”?

Beth: When I look at it and feel happy and that there’s nothing that needs to be changed or moved. I really believe that a great garden is one that gives you a sense of peace, balance, and happiness. So I keep going until I get that feeling!

terrain: Any care or maintenance tips here?

Beth: I’d suggest a light watering once a week focused at the base of the asparagus fern. These are great because succulents love dry soil, and the asparagus ferns are pretty hardy. Perfect for the summer!

Interested in a similar planting for your outdoor space this summer? Our Design by Terrain team is happy to help you bring your dream hanging planting to life!