• Hanging baskets filled with tall and trailing plants liven up the spot.Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Hanging baskets spruce up an outdoor spot with their beautiful shapes, colors and forms. Strung from the ceiling of a porch, balcony, deck, terrace or any outdoor spot, these baskets filled with trailing and tall flowers add a splash of color and a welcoming touch to the area. Many types of outdoors foliage and flowering plants exist, allowing gardeners to choose ones that meet their specific requirements.
  
  

Trailing Verbena

• Native to South Carolina, trailing verbena is a hardy perennial that produces 12- to 15-inch-long stems and tiny blooms in shades of purple, pink, white and blue. All varieties of trailing verbena attract butterflies to the hanging basket, and some give off a pleasant aroma. The plant prefers well-draining soil exposed to full sun. Common varieties include Summer Blaze, Silver Anne and Homestead Purple.
  
  

Million Bells

• Million bells (Lirica showers, trailing petunia or Calibrachoa) is a flowering annual suitable for outdoor hanging baskets. The heat-tolerant plant produces hanging vines that feature trumpet-shaped flowers in hues of orange, pink, violet, red and blue. The long-lasting blooms appear from mid-spring until the first frost. The 6- to 20-inch-long tendrils spill over the edges of the hanging basket up to add a dramatic effect to the spot. Million bells shed spent flowers and leaves on its own, eliminating the need for the gardener to remove them.
  
  

Geraniums

• Geraniums are hardy plants that thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 to 8. The tolerant plants produce dense foliage and tiny blooms in pastel and bold shades. Suitable for hanging baskets and flower beds, the reliable annuals decorate the hanging basket from early spring until frost. Growing 1 to 2 feet tall, geraniums prefer full sunlight to partial shade and well-draining soil.
  
  

Begonias

• A popular summer hanging plant, begonias are divided into two groups: tuberous and wax. Both groups produce scented, easy-to-grow, low-maintenance flowers that add summer interest in the garden. Tuberous begonias measure 4 inches wide and appear in shades of pink, white and purple, while wax begonias produce 6- to 12-inch-tall, rose-like blooms in shades of red, white and pink. Thriving in all hardiness zones, begonias prefer slightly moist soils that drain well.
  
  

Fuchsia

• Requiring more care than most other hanging plants, fuchsia remains a popular choice for hanging baskets because of the delicate flowers and their exotic shapes. The soft vines produce bell-shaped flowers in pastel and bold shades that delicately spill over the sides of a hanging basket, forming curtains of lace, along with oval, medium-green foliage. Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden, fuchsias bloom from spring until frost.