Window Box Gardening: Tips for Great-looking Plantings if You Don’t Have a Green Thumb

Window box gardening is a form of container gardening, and it’s as varied as the plants and flowers you choose to put in them.

According to the Mississippi State University’s Office of Agricultural Communications, almost 50 percent of American households say they do some form of container gardening, and the practice is helping to revive the allure of window boxes. Many a weekend gardener notes the sheer magnificence of a well done window box as the reason he chooses this type of gardening.

As much as for the simple enjoyment of festive, lush, and cascading plants and flowers, window boxes go a long way in enhancing curb appeal and creating a “finished” look to the home.

Part of the fun of creating window boxes is in the selection of planting box you will use — this is the foundation for the look you want to create. Take into consideration the architectural design of your home, its exterior coloring and accents, and choose boxes that fit those characteristics. You’ll find choices of:

plain wooden boxes
metal boxes, including copper
fancy scrollwork designs
fiberglass and vinyl
inexpensive plastic
self-watering boxes

Many prefabricated boxes come with hardware for mounting. It’s customary to mount the box to the home’s exterior for proper support, rather than to a windowsill, as plants will become heavier as they grow. This is important especially in the case of larger boxes or containers.

If you want the look that window boxes bring to the home, but don’t have the desire to mount boxes, here are three quick and easy options:

Decorative plant stand: place a freestanding, decorative plant box outside in front of a prominent window. Tip: for this idea to look its best, you’ll want to use a plant stand equal in length to the window, or pretty close. Buy plants in terra cotta pots and align them the length of the box; this makes for easy clean up when the growing season is over, or if you want to switch out plants for a quick redo of the box.
Decorative plant stand:
Bird bath: choose a fanciful design—go oversize to really draw attention. Select several well-matched plants and group them in the center of the birdbath. For the best effect choose a mixture of flowers and trailing plants that will cascade as they grow. You may choose to pot the plants in a low planting saucer that has a diameter slightly smaller than the bird bath. This idea is also great for small herb gardens.
Bird bath:
Window ledge: for a creative, no-fuss alternative to planting, use miniature, potted faux topiaries in the shape small trees, like Boxwood or Needlepoint Ivy (about 16 inches tall). For color use potted rose topiary trees—they look beautiful lined up along a window ledge.
Window ledge flower box

Helpful Tips:

Whether natural flowers or faux, keep the look of your boxes and containers uniform if you are using multiples. Choose the same colors and varietals for each box so the look of your home is uniform.

With real plants, use a liner in the box to prolong its use; make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the box (or drill them yourself) and in the liner.

Stagger your plants; avoid planting or displaying in exact rows for greatest impact and show.

Don't plant boringly — Don’t plant boringly

Choose real plants based on the hours of daylight/shade the box will receive; water accordingly and add slow-release fertilizer to keep plants vibrant.