15 of the Best Trailing Plants

Bring your tubs, baskets and walls to life this year by choosing from this selection of hand-picked cascading and trailing plants.

Some are better suited to wall tops, while others trail beautifully from tubs and baskets.

1) Trailing Aubrieta

Aubrieta is my “go-to” plant for rockeries where it cascades majestically over the large boulders; it can also trail 60cm+ over the top and down the front of garden walls – and I’ve seen it grow from cracks and gaps (see photo).

Easy to maintain and producing hundreds of delightful small blooms from March through to May, aubrieta is perfect for rambling over and down walls, rocks and boulders in the spring.

My experience: I’ve suggested aubrieta to clients for many years as I’ve seen it making a statement in walls and rockeries. I also grew it in a rockery at my previous home and I’ve never heard of anyone disliking it.

Key points: Full hardy in the UK and prefers a sunny spot. Easy to grow and maintain, only requiring a yearly prune after flowering. There’s no need to worry about water or fertiliser as once established, aubrieta looks after itself.

I Recommend: Aubrieta Purple Cascade.

Best for: Rockeries, over rocks, wall crevices, over edges.

2) Phlox as a Trailing Plant

I regard phlox as more of a creeper, but it also looks stunning draped over the edges of pots and walls where it flows as well as any trailing plant.

My phlox spreads up to 60cm and in the spring, produces hundreds of star-shaped blooms.

The low-growing perennial evergreen Phlox is drought-tolerant and easy to maintain, making it perfect for growing in wall crevices.

My experience: I’ve grown both the taller and carpet varieties of Phlox, I’ve found both are easy to maintain and propagate. Make sure you buy the low-growing carpet variety as other Phlox grow up to 1 metre tall.

Key points: Full hardy in the UK and prefers a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Prune after flowering to keep phlox in check and to prevent the stems from becoming bare and leggy. Phlox is low growing but spreads up to 60cm, making it perfect for hanging over low walls, edgings, rocks, boulders and tubs.

I recommend: I suggest Phlox ‘McDaniels Cushion’, I’ve seen this one a few times and looks perfect for draping down walls and around rocks.

Best for: Wall crevices, over the edges of tubs and draping over rocks.

3) Lobelia

Lobelia produces masses of small purple or blue blooms from June through to September and in my garden, I saw it spread to around 35cm. I think it’s the perfect choice for summer hanging baskets, tubs and troughs where it can spill over the edges.

The best lobelias for a cascading effect are annuals and they need a sunny spot with reliably moist soil. I’ve had success by pruning once in the summer to encourage new growth.

My experience: I’ve had issues growing Lobelia in semi-shade before, where it struggled to perform. It did much better once I moved it to a sunny spot.

Key points: Best grown as an annual in moisture-retentive compost either in a basket, pot or trough where it can hang over the edges. 

Feeding tip: Feed with a high-nitrogen fertiliser every two weeks until early summer as this will produce long trails, then switch to a low-nitrogen feed to encourage more numerous blooms.

Recommended variety: Lobelia erinus “Sapphire” (aka trailing lobelia)

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs, troughs and for draping over low walls and garden edgings.

4) Ivy Geranium

Geraniums come in several forms, from the bushy hardy geranium to the short-lived bedding plant pelargonium.

Ivy geranium is the latter but has a trailing habit and sits beautifully in baskets, over the edges of rubs and along the top of small walls.

My experience: I’ve found that Ivy Geraniums are sensitive to underwatering and required extra care when I planted them in a rockery that was on the dry side. Also, while they did trail, I wouldn’t describe them as prolific.

Key points: Often grown as an annual in the UK and US, it prefers full sun and has a scrambling habit but will trail if grown over an edge. This heavy bloomer produces an avalanche of colour from June to October will trail around 70cm.

Feeding tip: Feed regularly during the growing season, as you would other annuals.

I suggest: Hanging baskets, tubs, troughs, draping over low walls, retaining walls.

5) Trailing Plant “Bacopa”

This trailing bacopa plant is the perfect companion and is often used to hang over the edges of tubs where the hundreds of small daisy-like blooms complement, but do not distract from the other plants in the pot.

Bacopa can also be used as a groundcover along the edges of paths where it rambles by up to 30cm.

Our experience: Here at DIY Gardening we have specified Bacopa for pots, tubs and wall tops around commercial units, hotels and other large developments. We’ve found that Bacopa is easy to maintain and is a solid, reliable perennial.

Key points: A perennial that’s often grown as an annual in the UK and cooler parts of the US. Low growing with a rambling habit, bacopa will trail by about 30cm, just enough to cover the sides of pots, troughs and window boxes. 

Feeding tip: Keep the soil reliably moist; feed monthly if grown in baskets and small pots. Mulch if possible to prevent the ground from drying out.

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs, troughs and for path edgings.

6) Trailing Verbena Plant

A popular hanging basket choice, verbena produces a waterfall of colourful blooms in small clusters that could trail by over a metre.

I’ve seen first-hand how trailing verbena will scramble over the ground, so you can plan it next to paths and patios if that’s a look you desire.

Other varieties, such as the Purpletop, are more upright with a more limited spread.

Key points: A short-lived perennial that’s often grown as an annual for baskets.

Feeding tip: Feed regularly during the growing season and keep the soil reliably moist.

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs, troughs and for hanging over walls.

7) Busy Lizzies

Busy lizzies are a reliable summer flowering annual that’s guaranteed to put an impressive show in full sun or shade.

While busy lizzies will generally grow to a rounded shape, they do spread to around 35cm and like to fill in space, making them perfect for hanging baskets and tubs where their foliage and blooms can gently hang over the edges.

My experience: I stopped growing busy lizzies for several years due to horrendous downy mildew diseases that destroyed them. However, growers have now produced disease-resistant plants, and I’ve seen first-hand that they perform much better.

Key points: A half-hardy annual that produces a vigorous display of blooms from June until the temperature drops in October.

Feeding tip: I feed mine regularly during the growing season and always keep the soil reliably moist.

Best for: I’ve grown them successfully in hanging baskets, tubs and troughs.

8) Fuschias

Fuchsias are one of the best trailing plants, and in my garden, they produce dozens of pendant-shaped blooms in pink, red and purple against green leafy foliage, from mid-summer through to the first frosts.

Also suitable for pots and troughs and in borders, trailing fuchsias are versatile and easy to grow and I’ve found that they require very little attention once established.

My experience: I’ve had fuschias in my garden for as long as I can remember, and the stems arch delightfully over the edges of the border and the containers. I’ve never had any issues with pests, diseases, feeding or watering and have found them to be one of the easiest plants to grow.

Key points: Often grown as an annual, but hardy fuchsias can come back year after year reliably. Expect a spread of around 45cm.

Feeding tip: I feed mine regularly during the growing season and keep the soil reliably moist.

I suggest trying them in: Hanging baskets, tubs and troughs.

9) Trailing Petunias

No list of hanging plants would be complete without a mention of trailing petunias which are flamboyant, showy and unmistakable.

Perfect for baskets where their long trails can reach 50cm, petunias produce masses of bold, bright blooms all through the summer.

My experience: I’ve found that petunias perform best in a bright spot, but mine required daily watering and lots of fertiliser too. I always have a slug control plan in place as they just love petunias and in my garden, they are so determined that they climb up the wall, along the bracket and into the baskets. 

This year I’ll be growing petunias from the sides of my baskets, but I’ll be experimenting with another plant on the top.

Key points: A popular annual that thrives in tubs and hanging baskets. Petunias are easy to maintain but by applying regular doses of fertiliser, you’ll be rewarded with an explosion of colour.

Growing tip: Water regularly but don’t allow the feet to sit in waterlogged soil. Some varieties will benefit from regular deadheading.

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs and troughs.

10) Calibrachoa (Million Bells)

Calibrachoa, also known as “million bells”, is native to South America and is a prolific bloomer from spring until the first frosts.

This less well-known annual produces dozens and sometimes hundreds of 2-3cm trumpet-like blooms that look almost identical to those on petunias.

The foliage is dark green, firmer and smaller but make no mistake, this is a free-flowering, showy plant that reaches up to 15cm in height and can produce a trail down 50cm.

My experience: I’ve grown these as an alternative to petunias, and while the blooms were a bit smaller, their numbers still created an impact. If you like petunias, I’m sure you like these too.

Key points: Less well-known than petunias but equally impressive, this perennial should be grown as an annual in milder climates. Calibrachoa performs best in a bright spot that’s sheltered from the wind. Water and feed regularly during the growing season.

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs and troughs. Over walls.

11) Creeping Jenny

Creeping jenny produces long stems holding lobe-like gold and green leaves, and as a hardy perennial, it will keep its leaves in all but the harshest of winters.

While usually grown for its foliage and trailing or crawling habit, it does display bright yellow flowers in the summer.

Grow in pots or along the top of retaining walls where it can flow over the edges.

Our experience: We’ve specified this plant to customers with commercial premises as it’s easy to maintain and looks great draped over the edge of borders and containers. I’ve never heard of customers having any issues with creeping jenny. I’ve also seen grown it hotel foyers as well.

Key points: Being native to the UK, creeping jenny dislikes overly hot conditions and prefers moist soil. Grow in full sun or partial shade. Creeping jenny can be invasive if grown in beds or near lawns.

Best for: Hanging baskets, tubs, troughs, raised beds and down slopes and retaining walls.

12) Trailing Ivy

I’ve seen ivy can grow just about everywhere, along walls, down the side of pots, trailing below hanging baskets and even along the ground.

The ultimate background plant, ivy is perfect for covering unsightly parts of the garden and will thrive in full sun, shade and various soil types and temperatures.

Why not add some ivy to the edges of your summer pots? Or grow it down a wall?

My experience: I’ve grown ivy in pots before, and it looked great for a year or two but then struggled as it choked out the other plants. I do recommend it, but only to those who are prepared to keep it in check.

Key points: Easy to grow and isn’t bothered by pests or diseases but does require pruning to keep it in check.

Best for: A versatile plant that grows just about anywhere.

13) Nasturtium

I’ve seen nasturtium produce unsually vibrant flowers in orange, red, yellow, pink and cream, which compliment the bright green foliage.

Choose from either bushy, dwarf or climbing varieties with the climbers most suitable for gaining fences and for rambling over the ground, while the bushy versions look best in hanging baskets and pots.

My experience: I’ve seen nasturtiums covering walls, fences and draping over large containers, I think they are a great option to consider.

Key points: Nasturtiums are annuals and can be grown very easily from seeds sowed in the same spot you wish to grow them. All parts of the nasturtium plant can be eaten, and they make an excellent addition to salads.

I suggest: Growing up walls and fences (climbers) draping over the edges of pots or along the ground (bushy varieties).

14) Dichondra Argentea “Silver Falls”

Dichondra “silver falls” is a herbaceous perennial that I’ve seen others grow as an annual. It’s a perfect trailing plant for hanging baskets and draping over and down walls.

You’ll be rewarded with hundreds of heart and kidney-shaped leaves and, in the summer, small white flowers.

Our experience: We project-managed the landscaping and planting of the grounds in and around a hotel in London back in 2019, and we specified silver falls for many of the containers and wall tops. Silver falls is easy to maintain, and we’ve never heard of clients having issues with it.

Key points: Dichondra “silver falls” will grow vertically by 10cm (4″) but can trail up to an impressive 1.2m (4 feet). Often grown as an annual but can be overwintered and kept for several years.

I suggest: Hanging baskets, over walls, courtyards, city gardens, cottage gardens.

15) Trailing Heucherella “Redstone Falls”

Copper and pink leaves adorn the vigorous trailing stems of this underused heuchera/tiarella hybrid – the first known trailing variety.

Grow in hanging baskets, containers and window boxes where the trails will spill over the edges by up to 40cm.

My experience: I tried this plant in 2020, and while trailing heuchera didn’t trail as much as I had hoped, the deep red and brown colours added lots of punch.

Key points: A stunning but rarely seen perennial with copper colours on display in the autumn which compliment small white panicles in the summer months.

I suggest: Hanging baskets, over walls, courtyards, city gardens, cottage gardens. Also plant en masse for ground cover.

Make a Statement With These Stunning Hanging Baskets

Whatever trailing plants you choose, why not make them stand out by choosing a unique and custom made hanging basket?

In 2022, I trawled the internet to find the most beautiful hanging basket brackets, go check them out:

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