Window box eye candy

[annielinz]

I was looking for window box ideas and found these drool worthy pics and thought I'd share.

[annielinz]

This ones for Gigi with her new blue shutters.

[annielinz]

I need to get me a window box pronto. Here's some more:

[ChapterTwo]

Those window boxes look gorgeous! I wonder what sun exposure is recommended to get results like that. My boxes face the south and I fertilized and I've never had much luck except with geraniums. In fact, when I had my house painted, I took the boxes down and didn't bother to put them up.

[Deb D]

From the plants, it looks like different sun exposures. A south aspect can be very drying.

The bushiest window boxes and containers I've ever had needed to be started early. You get the plants small, and transplant them into the containers. Then keep them warm, well-lit, out of the wind, etc. Spring can be long and cold here, so plants stay stunted without special attention. Those amazing hanging baskets you see in nurseries have been in a green house for a couple months. Throughout the growing season, containers dry out faster than plants in the ground. Self-watering boxes and containers can help, and so can a moisture-retaining polymer like Soil Moist. Daily watering may be necessary when it's hot. The right soil and a liquid fertilizer are important. And of course choosing the right plants for the situation. Don't rule out perennials! I have dwarf conifers in containers, as well as a flowering maple that spends the winter inside.

[Breezy]

Annie - those window box pics are gorgeous! I'd love to do something like that here but it's really tough trying to get through the rock so I'd do something like the pic where the container is sitting on the ledge. That's a great idea if you can't hang a box. Thanks for posting the pics.:)

[Gigi]

Annie~ You are the cottage QUEEN of great pics you find to share!!!! I LOVE all of them. So inspiring!

[airsides]

Thanks for the inspiring pictures - I'm planning mine now!
Here is a colour advice sheet that is on the website of the nursery I buy from. I found it helpful:

http://www.marigoldnurseries.com/pdf/ContainerGardeningColorWheel.pdf

And here I was just buying whatever plant looked puurdy....
Happy planting!