LifestyleGardeningGardeningIt will add 'softness, colour and fullness' to your hanging baskets.02:30, 05 Jul 2026Alan Titchmarsh has recommended adding one specific plant to hanging baskets this year. The garden expert says the simple addition will add "softness, colour and fullness".‌Hanging baskets are a great way to add interest to your garden at eye level. Many plants can make up hanging baskets, including short-term flowers, herbs, shrubs and evergreens.‌With so much choice, it can be hard to know what to pick and which plans will work best. Alan says his "secret" to having a basket that stays full all summer is to add trailing plants.‌The expert suggested adding ivy and bacopa. In his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh TikTok video, he said: "Ivy is so versatile, apart from the fact it is a perennial and keeps on going and going right through the year and into the next."He added: "You can snip it back when it gets too big."‌To get ivy to trail out your basket, Alan urges gardeners not to try to poke the foliage through a hole in the basket.Instead, squeeze the root ball and guide it through the hole basket that way around instead. It means the foliage won't get damaged and the roots will be securely inside the basket.Gardeners can do the same with bacopa. Once you have your trailing plants inside the basket, fill it with compost.‌Another tip from Alan is to add water storage crystals to the basket to stop it from drying out. He adds them to the compost and they expand to help keep the plants watered.In his caption Alan explained: "Trailing plants like ivy and bacopa are perfect for hanging baskets, adding softness, colour, and fullness. Ivy is especially versatile thanks to its evergreen foliage and long-lasting growth.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌"To keep baskets healthy in hot weather, mix water storage crystals into the compost. They absorb moisture and slowly release it back to the roots, helping prevent baskets from drying out too quickly and keeping plants thriving all summer."The RHS advised: "Before you fill your basket with compost consider how you will water it. Hanging baskets tend to dry out more quickly than other types of container and water can easily be wasted from them."If you have many baskets, you might consider using an automated watering system. Drip irrigation systems deliver water slowly and directly to the roots so there is less risk of wasting water.Article continues below"They can be used with timers but still need to be adjusted as the plants grow bigger and the weather changes. Most drip irrigation systems are designed for mains tap water use as they need very clean and pressurised water for the drippers to operate correctly."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Alan TitchmarshGardenGardening