Hanging Baskets & Nursery
Victoria's trademark hanging baskets are a sign that summer has arrived.
Hanging Basket Update
The City's hanging baskets are up, bringing colour and vitality to boulevards and community spaces. Nearly 1,300 baskets have been designed, grown, assembled and hung by Parks staff for the summer season. 507 shade baskets contain 18 plants each with red and pink Dragon Wing Begonias, which are adaptable and have a high heat/drought tolerance. 785 sun baskets contain 25 plants of nine different varieties, including Lobelia, Geranium and Petunia, which do well in full sunlight.
Growing and Assembly
Plants for the baskets are grown in the City of Victoria's nursery, located in the southeast corner of Beacon Hill Park. In late April, a crew of six gardeners begins construction of hanging baskets, which takes place over a four-week period.
After the baskets are made, they are conditioned first for one week in the greenhouse and then moved outside to acclimatise. In early June, the baskets are placed on the City's signature lampposts.
Watering
The City waters the hanging baskets every night throughout the summer, between 10:45 p.m. to 7:15 a.m. Trucks transport water in 2,250 litre tanks, and hand-held wands are used to water the flowers. Parks staff give each basket 6.5 litres of water containing a trace amount of fertilizer. Baskets in exposed areas are watered 6 - 7 times per week, whereas baskets in sheltered locations are watered 4 - 5 times per week, depending on the weather.
S
hade Baskets
Shade baskets were introduced in the 1990s as the City's boulevard trees grew larger and cast more shade. This year's shade baskets include red and pink Dragon Wing Begonias, with a total of 18 plants included in each.
DIY Hanging Basket
Read the hanging basket brochure [PDF - 423 KB] to learn how to make your own flower hanging basket!