Every year, I look for ways to add interest to my front porch with colorful hanging baskets, and there are many different plant choices and combinations that make this possible.

One of my favorite hanging basket combinations is Supertunia petunias and Superbells.

Supertunia petunias are great for hanging baskets because they have mounding, trailing growth habits and function as both fillers and spillers in containers. They are also excellent landscape plants, best suited to be placed near the front of beds.

Superbells are also called million bells or trailing petunias because of their prolific, bell-shaped flowers and their resemblance to petunias. Like Supertunias, Superbells have mounding, trailing growth habits.

These plants are native to South America and typically grow 6 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide. They are both best grown in containers where soil moisture can be easily controlled since they don’t tolerate constantly wet soils.

Superbells are low-maintenance plants that require no deadheading. They do best when located in a full-sun location.

I believe Superbells Grape Punch and Superbells Yellow planted with Supertunia Persimmon make an outstanding hanging basket combo. The color contrast of purple with warm sunset colors of orange and yellow is mesmerizing.

Another great hanging basket combination is Supertunia Vista Fuchsia, Snow Princess and Laguna Compact Blue with Eye. The pink of Supertunia Vista Fuchsia pops with the beautiful blue flowers with white eyes of the Laguna Compact Blue with Eye and the cascading white flowers of Snow Princess.

If my plants begin to look open or a bit tired, I give them an allover trim. I use a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears to trim back up to 1/3 of the volume of the plants. After any trim, I use a water-soluble fertilizer to provide instant energy to help kickstart new growth, branching and flowering.

The plants take a week to recover from the trim, but the end result is fuller plants with more blooms going forward. I repeat the trim as needed throughout the growing season.

If you are looking for a hanging basket that is different and unique, try a Goldfish plant.

The dark-green leaves provide a backdrop for orange flowers that resemble tiny goldfish. The flowers on a Goldfish plant may be red or yellow. Native to southern Mexico, Brazil and Costa Rica, this plant comes in more than 25 different varieties.

Consistently water and fertilize these baskets to keep them popping with color all summer long on your front porch.