I have really been enjoying gardening this year and have really gotten into it since I have my greenhouse, but also for planting in pots. I dont know if you know but I live in the desert and have what is called desert landscape which means no grass in my yard 🙁 this is to save water. So I try to make our little patio a nice place to relax in the evening when it cools off.  How I do this, I am using lots of pots and garden boxes (built by my son for me a few years ago) to add flowers and herbs to make it green. It also helps to cool our patio down so we are more comfortable and can enjoy being outside.
Now I wanted to share one of my projects I completed by using a hanging planter with a coconut mat. First I chose plants that will trail out of the basket as they grow and that are drought tolerant as well. What I am using is Ipomea Blackie (it is a ornamental sweet potato), Dichondra Emerald Falls,(dark green leaves) Dichondra Silver Falls (silver looking foliage) these are trailing and  and then Impatiens (their vibrate in color and are a type of succulent storing water).

1) Now to prepare my basket  used a coconut mat I purchased at Lowe’s, then what I have done to help hold moisture is I used a shopping bag, cut off the handles and some of the top of the bag, push it down inside the planter. When you have it nestled into the basket then cut tabs around the sides so the bag will spread out around the top edge. I then tuck those tabs between the coconut mat and the frame of the basket until I am through planting.
2) Then to plant I add a good garden soil that already has nutrients that will support the new plants for about 2 weeks.
3) I add a layer of soil in the bottom then start.
4) Insert the plants, first one in, is the one I chose for the center (Impatiens) then I add the other plants around the center plant, add soil around each, being sure to gently pack soil around each and to secure all plants finishing off by bringing soil to bottom of plants leaves. That’s it and now to enjoy to hanging in our garden.
PIC
As a suggestion if you are planting a basket for the first time, just chose the plants that you find at your local nursery, they only carry what will do well in your climate. I would also suggest choosing one plant that will be taller than the rest.

There are so many choices out there it can be confusing, I just chose what I thought would create an interesting combination.