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These innovative planters will brighten up any garden.

Joe’s cotemporary hanging basket

Equipment needed:

• Scribing tool

• Tin snips

• Drill and drill bits

Materials needed:

• 3 x Aluminium sheets or similar

• Galvanised wire

• Chain

• String

• Multipurpose compost

• A selection of plants you want to fill your basket

What to do:

• Tie the scribing tool to one end of a piece of string, hold the string centre on one edge of the aluminium sheet and with the string taut, scribe an arc on the aluminium sheet.

• Next cut the sheet along the scribed line.

• Roll the sheet to form a cone. Make sure to leave a hole in the bottom of the cone for drainage and big enough for the chain to drop through.

• Holding the cone firmly, drill a series of holes along the two edges of the sheet.

• Now use the galvanised wire to stitch the two sheet edges together, to form a neat seam.

• Repeat this process another two times, so you have a total of three cones.

• Thread the chain through the bottom of each cone; fix the bottom of the chain to the lower cone using the wire, and then attach the top of the chain to something secure.

• Fill each cone with compost, making sure that the cones sit inside each other. The cones can also be angled to form interesting shapes.

• In the top cone Joe planted Helichrysum italicumthe curry plant, the next cone down was planted with Armeria maritima‘Rubrifolia’ the sea thrift and in the lower cone Joe used Saxifraga‘Cloth of Gold’.

• Finally water in and hang in the desired position.

Toby’s edible hanging basket

Equipment needed:

• Scissors

• Strong plant pot

Materials needed:

• 2 x wire baskets

• Grass clippings

• Old compost bag

• Multipurpose compost

• Small plastic pot

• A selection of edibles you'd like to fill your basket

What to do:

• Place the wire basket on top of the strong plant pot for support.

• Next line the basket with a good layer of the grass clippings and then line this with an old compost bag.

• Trim the bag of with the scissors to give a neat finish and punch several holes in this for drainage.

• Fill the basket with compost and push the small pot into the centre of the basket, this will form a watering sump.

• In the first basket Toby planted tumbling tomatoes, basil and French marigolds. In the second basket, Toby used nasturtium, and Ipomoea ‘Blackie’ in the side of the basket holes were made and planted with French marigolds.

• Finally give the baskets a good watering and hang in their final position.