Plants Sitting in Window Boxes

I love looking out of thekitchen window at the rich, golden-green plants sitting in the window boxes, just beyond the pane of glass. It is a spot that never catches the sun, but it is quite bright and the plants always look happy. Nearly everyone can have a window box or two, even if they live high above the ground with no garden at the front or back. Of course, window boxes need not be used only in window recesses. They can look most effective resting on the ground against a wall or a fence, or edging a balcony so that trailing plants can cascade down the side of the building.

Close Fit

Window boxes on sills look best if they almost fit the window recess. Boxes are manufactured in a range of sizes, so that it is usually possible to find one that is a suitable size for your sill. They are also made in a great range of materials: plastic, fibreglass, composition wood, and terracotta. Some of the plastic ones are not very strong. In the middle, they tend to bulge outwards with the weight of soil, although clips are available from stores to help keep the box in shape. They are the cheapest, and they are mostly available in white, black, and green. Stronger plastic window boxes are sold in various forms, but I find that the plainer ones look best. Fibreglass is a more expensive material, but it is rigid and will last for many years. Plain designs and models made to resemble lead or painted wood are available.

Wooden boxes always look good because of their natural affinity to plant material, but they will eventually rot, even if well-treated with wood preservatives and painted every year. You can get around this problem by using a well-made plastic box that fits your sill, with a little room to spare at each side, and then making a wooden cover for it. You drop the newly planted plastic box into the completed, wooden cover. When choosing a colour for your wooden cover, it is best to let the plants be the masters of the box: extremely brightly coloured or over- decorated boxes can detract from the natural beauty of the flowers and foliage in your planting.

Terracotta Option

Because of the beautiful, natural, quality of terracotta, I find that window boxes made in this material always tend to look most effective. Before buying anything, measure up your window sill to ensure a good fit. Bear in mind that in exposed situations soft terracotta can easily flake and crack, so in cold areas it may be best to avoid using it, except during the warm summer and early autumn months, before the frosts arrive.

Safe and Secure

Window boxes can be extremely heavy, especially when they have been watered, so you must fix them securely in place. On sills that slope gently forwards, chock up the front of the box, slightly, to keep it level, and secure metal brackets either to the sides of the window recess or on the sill itself, to prevent the window box from slipping forwards.

Window box arrangements in sunny spots need plenty of water in hot summer weather, so prevent excess water running down the sides of the building by placing a tray under the box. Plastic trays are available from most garden centres. Remember not to leave the container sitting in water.

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