Alison Wessely
Window boxes are a delightful reminder of nature’s beauty right on your doorstep, transforming even the most urban of spaces into vibrant, lush and living works of art. Flower and Flint offers a personalised and seasonal service with designing, planting and maintaining window boxes that will enhance your curb appeal all year round!
“The love of flowers arouses within us all the kindliest feelings of our nature, humanises the heart and fills the mind with pleasant ideas and associations” J.Mollison wrote in The New Practical Window Gardener (1877) about the pleasure of bringing nature’s beauty to the doorstep for people who ‘have no convenience for cultivating flowers but their windows’.
Seasonal planting Ideas:
Winter
Evergreen Foundation Plants Winter-hardy evergreens provide reliable structure and colour. Dwarf varieties of Buxus sempervirens are excellent choices as they maintain their compact shape and rich green colour. Small conifers like dwarf spruce or juniper varieties offer varied textures and shades of green to blue-green.
Trailing Elements Ivy and small-leaved varieties of euonymus are excellent choices because they:
- Remain evergreen through winter
- Create attractive cascading effects
- Can withstand cold temperatures and wind
- Help soften the edges of window boxes
Winter-Flowering Plants Winter pansies and violas are remarkable because they can flower even during frost. Their blooms may pause during the deepest cold but resume when temperatures rise slightly. Hellebores are particularly valuable as they produce elegant flowers from late winter through early spring.
Ornamental Cabbage These plants are ideal for winter displays because:
- Their colour intensifies as temperatures drop
- They provide bold, architectural forms
- Their purple, pink, and white varieties create striking contrasts
- They maintain their appearance throughout winter
Small Berrying Plants Gaultheria Procumbens (winterberry) or small varieties of Skimmia add vital spots of colour through their berries. These plants work particularly well in mixed arrangements, providing visual interest beyond just foliage.
Seasonal Additions Small bulbs like snowdrops, winter aconites, or dwarf iris can be planted in autumn to provide early blooms. These emerge through other plantings to add surprise elements of colour.
For all winter window boxes, consider these practical factors:
- Use high-quality, well-draining potting soil
- Ensure boxes have adequate drainage holes
- Choose frost-resistant containers
- Position plants close together for immediate impact and mutual protection
- Consider your window box’s exposure to wind and weather
Spring
Early Spring Bulbs Daffodils and tulips planted in autumn provide the first bursts of colour. Smaller bulbs like grape hyacinths and dwarf iris work particularly well because their compact size suits window box dimensions while providing rich colour impact. Plant these in layers with later-blooming plants.
Primroses and Polyanthus These are perfect for spring displays because they:
- Offer abundant blooms in nearly every colour
- Flower for extended periods
- Tolerate cool temperatures
- Work well at the front of arrangements
Annual Bedding Plants Forget-me-nots, pansies, and violas excel in spring boxes as they:
- Bloom prolifically in cool weather
- Create dense carpets of colour
- Mix well with other plants
- Self-seed gently for future displays
Sweet-Scented Options Stock and wallflowers add fragrance to window boxes, making them especially delightful near opening windows. Their upright growth provides height while their perfume enhances the outdoor-indoor connection.
Foliage Interest Silver-leaved plants like helichrysum or small euphorbias provide textural contrast and:
- Hold up well in spring rains
- Create depth in plantings
- Complement flowering plants
Continue looking good as spring moves into summer
Trailing Plants Bacopa and trailing lobelia work beautifully because they:
- Create soft cascades over box edges
- Fill in gaps between upright plants
- Provide long-lasting flowers
- Tolerate both sun and light shade
Practical Growing Tips For spring success:
- Use fresh, high-quality potting mix
- Plant densely for immediate impact
- Include slow-release fertilizer at planting time
- Water regularly but avoid waterlogging
- Deadhead regularly to prolong blooming
Summer
- Heat-Loving Annuals Petunias and calibrachoa excel in summer boxes because they:
- Bloom continuously through the season
- Tolerate intense heat and sun
- Come in numerous colours
- Create cascading effects
- Recover well from rain damage
Drought-Resistant Options Geraniums are outstanding summer performers as they:
- Thrive in hot, dry conditions
- Flower prolifically all season
- Offer both upright and trailing varieties
- Provide rich foliage even when not blooming
- Come in varied colours including deep reds, pinks, and whites
Trailing Plants such as Calibrachoa, trailing verbena, and bacopa work well because they:
- Create beautiful cascading effects
- Fill spaces quickly
- Provide continuous colour
- Complement upright plants
- Tolerate both sun and partial shade
Foliage Interest Coleus and Ipomoea add dramatic foliage because they:
- Offer striking leaf colours and patterns
- Grow quickly to fill spaces
- Provide contrast to flowering plants
- Tolerate both sun and shade depending on variety
- Create architectural interest
Complementary Herbs Basil, oregano, and trailing thyme work well since they:
- Add fragrance
- Provide edible elements
- Attract pollinators
- Create textural interest
- Remain attractive when trimmed
Heat-Tolerant Structural Plants New Guinea Impatiens (Busy Lizzies) and begonias provide reliability because they:
- Maintain shape throughout summer
- Flower continuously
- Tolerate humidity
- Provide varied flower forms
- Work well in both sun and shade
Summer Care Tips For optimal performance:
- Water deeply and regularly, especially during heat waves
- Feed with balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks
- Remove spent blooms frequently
- Trim back aggressive growers
- Check for pests regularly in warm weather
Autumn
Late-Flowering Perennials Japanese Anemones and Chrysanthemums shine in autumn because they:
- Provide fresh blooms when other plants fade
- Offer rich autumn colours
- Stand up well to cooler temperatures
- Create height and structure
- Continue flowering until first frost
Ornamental Grasses Compact varieties like Festuca glauca and dwarf Pennisetum work beautifully as they:
- Add movement and texture
- Provide seasonal colour changes
- Create architectural interest
- Hold up well in autumn winds
- Offer winter interest after flowering
Seasonal Colour Plants Asters and Rudbeckia are excellent choices because they:
- Bloom prolifically in autumn
- Attract late-season pollinators
- Provide classic fall colours
- Mix well with ornamental grasses
- Tolerate cooling temperatures
Foliage Interest Heuchera and small sedums offer reliable performance as they:
- Provide rich leaf colours that intensify in cool weather
- Create ground-level interest
- Maintain appearance through light frosts
- Mix well with flowering plants
- Offer varied leaf textures
Berry-Bearing Plants Small varieties of Callicarpa and winter pansies contribute because they:
- Add unexpected colour through berries or late blooms
- Provide interest into winter
- Create focal points
- Attract birds
- Complement autumn foliage
Trailing Elements Ivy and small-leaved vinca add structure because they:
- Remain evergreen
- Create cascading effects
- Fill gaps between showier plants
- Provide reliable background interest
- Tolerate temperature fluctuations
For best results:
- Reduce watering as temperatures cool
- Remove summer-flowering plants gradually
- Plant spring bulbs among autumn displays
- Protect from strong winds
- Choose frost-resistant containers
