Choosing the Best Flowers for Your Window Boxes

February 17, 2018 by Paul Guzie Annuals, Guzman's Greenhouse Posts, Outdoor Plants No Comments

Last updated on July 21st, 2023 at 10:04 am

Choosing the best flowers for your window boxes. Window boxes can be a beautiful addition to any home. They work well inside or outside and can be extremely easy to maintain year-round. The key to creating attractive window boxes is flower selection. Choosing the best flowers for flower window boxes can be a fun exercise for the avid gardener. It will also increase the enjoyment of creating these elegant displays.

Some Basic Information About Window Boxes

Some basic information will help you determine what flowers are suitable for window boxes. The plants used in window boxes have special needs. Heat and dryness can be a bigger issue for flowers in window boxes than it is for plants in an outdoor garden. This means it is always best to use young plants in a window box.

Transplanted plants don’t do as well in a window box because they are not conditioned to the smaller growing environment. A young plant will adapt to the confined space. Some plants, like petunias, also have a higher tolerance for heat and dryness.

The idea here is to get off to a good start. By choosing the right plants at the outset, your chance of getting plants to thrive in a window box environment goes up. You also want to spend less time maintaining your window box and more time enjoying it.

Let Sun and Shade Be Your Guide

When planning for a window box, the number one consideration is sun and shade. Some plants will do extremely well in full sun while others need partial shade to thrive. You’ll need to determine the positioning of your window boxes and observe how much light they will receive before you plant.

Remember that indoor window boxes will be subjected to heat and light that is coming through a window pane. This can increase the intensity of the light and temperature of the soil.

Some people prefer to have a nice mix of window boxes in both sunny and shady locations. Your boxes will have a greater aesthetic appeal if you try to group similar plants in similar locations. For example, the window boxes on the front of your home facing the sun with no obstruction should be planted with similar flowers to maintain cohesion. This will also simplify watering and care.

Flowers for Window Boxes in Sunlight

Lavender and marigold have long been staples for window boxes that face west and receive lots of sun. These upright plants are both beautiful and aromatic. A miniature rose also works well but can take up a significant amount of space. Planting those will have some influence on the other varieties you can add to the box. Don’t forget herbs such as rosemary. It is possible to plant an entire window box with edible plants. This could be a great project for a kitchen window box.

There are some trailing varieties that also do well in sunlight. Consider petunias if you are strictly seeking a visual appeal. An airplane plant makes for a nice addition and can be enhanced with more colorful flower varieties. It is even possible to have strawberry plants in a window box, but this plant can become somewhat unruly if it isn’t maintained.

Climbing plants such as honeysuckle and jasmine are hardy and tolerate lots of sun. Using a climbing plant in a flower box often works well when combined with a trellis. Place lattice board diagonally to the end of each window box, and you can enhance a window’s appeal. This can even add some additional privacy when plants are in bloom.

Flowers for Window Boxes in Shade

Window boxes that face north and receive a lot of shade will typically be much cooler than their sun-facing counterparts. The upside of these boxes is that they can be easier to maintain in warmer months and require less watering.

Upright plants that do well in shade include ferns and impatiens. A very nice aspect of these is that the light they do receive can produce an almost magical glow at certain times of the day. Snapdragon and pansy varieties are also easy to care for and make attractive additions.

Creeping myrtle and peppermint are good trailing varieties for shady window boxes. The upside of peppermint is the bouquet. There is nothing like opening the kitchen window when the temperatures are warm and letting the scent of peppermint filled the house. Fuchsia also performs very well in the confined environment of a window box.

A trumpet vine is a wonderful climber that can be managed in a flower box with ease. The thing to consider is that climbing vines have a way of taking over the facade of your home if they aren’t rigidly maintained. They can quickly turn from attractive to burdensome.

Add some window boxes to your list of summer projects this year. The time spent learning which flowers are good for window boxes will expand your overall knowledge of gardening and the needs of specific plants. Window boxes are also a great activity for the little gardener in your life and a perfect excuse to spend time with the ones you love.