There are thousands of keen gardeners out there who don't have access to a garden. There are also many frustrated gardeners for whom the ongoing battle with their insubordinate wildernesses or infertile soil is just too much. Then there are those whose gardens consist simply of small balconies, pavers and courtyards.

For all those who don't have a garden and for those who can't garden - I can share this trade secret with you - hanging baskets.

They are used by experienced gardeners and home decorators to add colour to entrance ways and to provide a special touch of décor to your homes. They soften the edges of verandas, doors, walls, pergolas, patios and decks, and add vibrant colour to your outside living areas.

For inner city gardeners and those who have given up the battle with their untameable backyard, hanging baskets will bring your garden to eye level and will brighten and warm up your balconies and courtyards.

Hanging baskets are perfect for everyone. Whether you have a garden or a courtyard, they are an affordable and colourful way of bringing fragrant, vivid flowers and herbs into your home.

And what's best, they are simple and easy to make.

Before we start you will need to purchase a basket, plastic saucer and some sphagnum moss from your local garden centre.

I recommend using a wire basket with a diameter at least 350mm wide. The bigger the better!

A large basket will retain more water which means it is less likely to dry out. And a wire basket means you can poke the flowers through the holes.

If you are using a round bottomed basket a tip for easy handling is to place the basket on top of a bucket. Round bottoms mean the baskets often roll around when placed on flat ground -this makes for some tricky planting manoeuvres!

Before you begin planting it is a good idea to soak the sphagnum moss in a bucket of water.

Sphagnum moss is crucial to growing a good basket. It is a natural sponge - which means it will soak up water and provide the plants with moisture. More importantly, it stops the soil falling out!

Now your moss is damp, place it along the bottom of the basket and approximately 50mm up the sides.

Next sit the plastic saucer on top of the moss and pour in potting mix until it reaches the same height as the moss. - approximately 50mm high.

I recommend using a top quality potting mix with a slow release fertiliser.

A slow release fertiliser will feed your plants for up to four months; until you re-do the baskets for winter.

Now for the fun part - choosing what to plant!

Awapuni has several seasonal flower mixes in their traditional value range which are perfect for hanging baskets.

The mixes have a fantastic range of flowers which work wonderfully together, perform well in baskets and are available from supermarkets, The Warehouse, supermarkets and Bunnings stores.

No matter what you decide to grow in the top of your basket, I recommend planting cascading annuals around the sides.

Lobelia and alyssum are great annuals because they provide amazing colour and will soften the sides of your basket.

Simply lie the cascading annuals' roots across the potting mix and poke the flowers and leaves through the sides of the basket.

Then add another lay of moss over the top. This time place the moss 100mm up the insides of the basket.

Add another layer of potting mix and another layer of cascading annuals, put another layer of sphagnum moss down and take it all the way up the insides of the basket.

Fill the container to the top with potting mix and then decide what to plant at the top.

Petunias and impatients have wonderful bright coloured flowers which contrast nicely with the cascading annuals.

Or for something different, I suggests growing Awapuni's cherry tomato and basil combo.

Strawberries are also perfectly suited to hanging baskets. They take up very little room and the basket allows them to stay clear of the ground - which makes it harder for pests to get them.

Remember to water regularly, dead head your flowers for a long flowering season and lastly, start experimenting now - let your imagination go wild!