As with patio containers, spring and summer bedding plants, spring bulbs and other temporary specimens can make very colourful window boxes. Also as with other containers, a few permanent plants can be arranged in window boxes with bedding plants or bulbs planted around them. This gives variation, particularly in shape and texture.
The choice of bedding plants and bulbs for window boxes is the same as for patio containers, with a few additions and deletions. Obviously one would not use very tall plants like Indian shot and castor oil plants in window boxes.
With window boxes it is important to consider designs for both sunny and shady positions, for some parts of the house will be bathed in sunshine all day long and other parts will receive little or none. Sun-loving plants will grow poorly and produce few flowers in shady positions. However, all of these recommended here for shade will also grow in sunny locations. Read the rest of this entry »
Plants chosen for hanging baskets and wall pots are usually temporary bedding plants that bloom for one particular season, generally summer. There are some permanent plants that can also be used, if desired. Bear in mind that in areas where the temperature drops below —4.5°C/25°F it can be difficult to winter any plants in baskets or wall pots outdoors because the soil quickly becomes frozen solid in freezing weather. If you wish to overwinter planted baskets and pots, keep them in a cool but frost-free greenhouse.
Many people plant glorious mixtures of summer bedding plants in baskets and wall pots: trailing lobelia, sweet alyssum (Alyssum maritimum) with its masses of white flowers, and petunias, with perhaps zonal pelargoniums or bush fuchsias in the centre, maybe with silver-leaved cineraria. There is nothing wrong with such designs and indeed they look most attractive in an English cottage-style garden, but the trend is towards simpler designs using fewer plants, and even towards single-colour designs coordinated with the house colours. Read the rest of this entry »
