About 12,000 years ago people skillfully wove grasses, bark, roots and other plant materials into baskets that served a variety of functions. Gathering, harvesting, foraging, storing, cooking, and serving. Many years ago, my mom and I took a basketweaving class. It definitely was a beginner class and we walked away with the tiniest of baskets proud of our accomplishment. I thought my basket was pretty fancy because I actually wove in a contrasting row of navy, blue-dyed reed.
Many of my memories include a basket. The most vivid, of course, were our Easter baskets. Ours were actual woven baskets and all of my siblings and I had a different basket unique for us. Our parents hid our baskets, and the challenge was to find them before we had to get ready to leave for church in our handmade Easter outfits.
Fondness is how I describe my basket memories. From Easter to gathering my own small garden's harvest to a trip to Paris. All these memories draw me to basket gardening. The Provencial, natural, and organic aesthetic give any plant a serene stage. Boxwood's mounds still hold their architectural beauty. Grasses dance to a softer melody. The colors of spring bulbs hold a more saturated palette. Herbs look like a carpet you want to sink your bare toes into. Vines tumble over the edges in a gentler way. Spring lettuce seems to make crisper salads. And cactus doesn't seem as prickly.
What are you waiting for? Basket gardening is at home in any garden, gathered at doorways, on the paths, by the pool, on the alfresco table, in the lanai, in the kitchen garden, holding blooms, ornamental trees, or fern.
Basket gardening may take some practice. Definitely make sure your baskets have a good liner. The baskets may come with a liner, but if there isn't one included don't pass on that perfect basket. You can easily add one with heavy duty plastic and a couple minutes of your time. The basket liner is necessary whether you are putting soil directly into the basket for your plantings or putting potted plants into the basket.
There are baskets that are specifically for outdoor use, however you can use any basket and seal it to protect the reed from moisture. This will prevent mildew and mold from growing on the basket. Be certain to do this outdoors and let the basket completely dry before planting. A spray sealer like Danish oil in a clear natural works best.
Another thing to consider with basket gardening is the surface your baskets will be sitting on and preventing them from getting saturated with water from rain or the splash of the pool. If the baskets in these areas are not elevated in some way the bottom of the basket may, over time, give way. Consider a protective base like a transparent plant basin or decorative platform to slightly raise the basket from the ground to help prevent this from happening. Bases will also prevent damage and make it easier to turn your baskets for even growth.
Basket gardening beckons a more simplistic selection of plants than other container gardening recipes. Have fun, play with your options. The just right plants will find the just right fit in your basket shapes. And yes, it can be veggies! Imagine the vibrant color of your hot peppers in a basket!
There is a sweetness of fern, blooming plants, spring and fall bulbs and vines growing in baskets and a quirky stateliness of boxwood and I love that. But I have to admit ornamental grasses and succulents growing in baskets get a lingering look from me. And don't get me started on lavender in basket gardening, it takes me back to Provence.
Traditional old school, tried-and-true blooms like pansies, geraniums, and petunias are just plain pretty and stand boldly on their own in basket gardening. Basket gardening with medicinal plants like aloe vera and bee balm keep these remedies handy. And basket gardening your favorite tea flavors helps contain these fast root spreading plants. And if you are an herb "petter" like I am basket gardening your favorite herbs not only keeps them at the ready for garden to table meals but also that quick pet as you walk past with your favorite book to catch some sunshine.
So, what self-care will your basket gardening give you? A sway of grasses dancing to a silent tune? A whiff of fragrance from the breeze that gave a gentle shake to your gardenia. The tumble of the string of pearls that look like baubles from your favorite necklace. The vintage basket itself that you planted in that brings back memories of that favorite, tucked away shop? The brush of the herbs in your basket gardening that makes you want pasta every night. Or the perfect glass of iced tea brewed from mint harvested while the raindrops were still on the leaves this morning?
Just like a farmer rotates his crops perhaps it's time to rotate the containers in your garden. Putting away the urns and clay and bringing out the baskets. Or perhaps it's time to mix it up and partner a variety of the right containers with your baskets. Consider your front landscape being more formal and your backyard landscape being more relaxed with basket gardening. It is your painting, pick up your brushes and start, you can always paint over your canvas and begin again until it's the interruption you want.
A gathering of basket gardening with high and low plants provides a great outdoor screen to hide that secret single lounge chair, your getaway. Want to invite guests from nature? Plant for the butterfly and they will come. Plant for the bumblebee and it will come. Accessorize for the hummingbird and it will quietly visit.
Be inspired! Start planning your basket gardening thoughtfully and reap the rewards.
Sources: Masion & Objet, Neptune, Clean and Scentsible, House and Home, Authentic Provence, Tumblr, Sweet Southern Blue, Liz Marie, Whatsoeverish, Gommaire, SFO Museum, Pinterest, Instagram
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