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Container gardening is increasing in leaps and bounds, making gardening accessible and practical for many people who don’t want to jump into the activity with both feet in knee-high boots. Flower pots, half-barrels, and many unusual containers — including old work boots (you should see the collection my husband has been saving for me to plant in) — allow gardeners to express their creativity in many ways. Of all the containers out there, I think window boxes are among the most beautiful and most under used.
Traditionally, rectangular boxes affixed to the outside of a house below the windows, window boxes have moved about a bit and are now found hanging on deck railings, fences and other vertical locations.
And, why not?
These aerial plantings have a lot of appeal and offer a lot of opportunity for creative plantings.
If you prefer wooden window boxes look for wood that is resistant to rot, such as cedar, redwood or pressure-treated. Window boxes can also be made of metal or you can purchase window box planters made of plastic. Wire baskets, often resembling hay racks for feeding horses and livestock, make good window boxes, too, when lined with moss, coconut fiber, or other liner material. Just make sure that the window box containers you use have drainage holes or a means for excess water to exit the container.
Something to keep in mind is that you’ll want to use a lightweight potting or container mix in window boxes — in part because soilless planting mixes will provide good drainage for the plants, but also because you can use mixes that contain moisture retention gels to cut down on the watering required.
Especially when wet, the soil in a window box — even lightweight potting mix — is heavy. Make sure your window boxes are attached or supported well. On the side of a house you will also want to ensure there is some air space between the planter and the house to prevent moisture from becoming trapped behind the planter.
If you don’t want to hang window boxes on the outside of your house, you can enjoy a similar aesthetic by growing plants in rectangular containers indoors on your windowsills.
Like other plantings in your garden, you’ll want to consider the location as you select plants for window boxes. Is the window box in the sun or shade? Will there be room for trailing plants?
How about vertical planting? Will tall-growing plants obscure your window or is that an effect you desire? Taller plants may help block the heat of the sun coming in your windows, may provide some privacy, and can give you something interesting to look at from the indoors.
It is best to start with small, healthy young transplants and plant them more closely than you would in the garden. The goal is to have the plants fill in quickly and offer up a lush mini-garden.
As with most container plantings, you’ll want to locate the trailing plants near the front edges and the tall upright plants at the back. For window boxes hung at second-story windows or higher, keep in mind they will be viewed from below and at a distance. You may want to select plants that are more dramatic and eye-catching for these window boxes.
And, remember that window boxes dry out pretty quickly. They are beautiful, but they also often need more watering than other kinds of containers.
Use your imagination when selecting plants for your window boxes. When I visit the Philadelphia Flower Show in the spring I make a point to see the special window boxes displays. The gardeners who plant them are quite creative.
I’ve seen vegetable garden-inspired window boxes with strawberry plants, compact-growing cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard and lettuces. Many herbs make great window box plants, too, such as thyme, parsley, basil and nasturtium.
For color try petunias, geraniums, French marigolds, pansies (in spring), verbena, salvia, ornamental peppers and annual vinca. Wonderful trailing plants for window boxes include sweet potato vine, morning glory, fan flower and ivy.
Other good window box flowers include alyssum, candytuft, dusty miller, short zinnias, daisies, sweet William, dwarf sunflowers and ornamental kale (for fall). Is your window box in the shade? Use fuchsia, coleus, impatiens, polka dot plant, tuberous begonia and ferns.
Looking for plants that don’t mind drying out a bit? Try portulaca, sedums, and hens and chicks. You may want to rediscover the wonder and beauty of window boxes, too.
Window dressing never looked so good.
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Susan Brimo-Cox gardens, observes nature and writes in Ohiopyle. Readers can send questions or comments to her at naturesgarden@brimo-cox.com.