Hanging planters
The best plant match for a hanging planter will always be a trailing plant, something that will cascade down the sides and soften the look of the pot itself. Succulents are a modern favourite and there are loads to choose from, including rhipsalis, donkey’s tail and chain of hearts. Or try Rhipsalis cereuscula, which is sometimes called pompom plant; it doesn’t trail quite as much but still looks wonderful.
These succulents aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and if you’re shopping for someone with more classical tastes, a flowering plant like hoya, with its lovely waxy flowers, might be more suitable. Or try Aptenia cordifolia (baby sun rose) – this tough succulent has little pink flowers that will charm the most tough-to-buy-for rellies.
92 degrees low bowls
Ranging from tabletop-size 350mm bowls to 900mm-diameter statement pieces, these relatively shallow pots are ideally suited to succulents. But you don’t have to stick to small fry if your aim is to make an impact. Taller cacti work beautifully in these – we love the fencepost cactus, which grows straight up and can touch the ceiling if you let it go! A great gift idea is one of the smaller bowls, planted with a selection of pretty echeverias or other succulents, as a coffee table centrepiece – just be sure not to request drainage holes.
