10 Sun-Loving Flowers for the ULTIMATE window box recipe
- Geraniums. The Zonal Geraniums in particular, they are propagated to produce a larger bloom and a sturdier, taller stem.
- Salvia. Salvias also get quite tall and serve as a great backdrop to the fillers in front. ...
- Lantana. Lantana is a Thriller / Filler / Spiller! It gets as tall as the Salvia but also works its way through the other plants as a Filler and ...
- Zahara Zinnia. Zinnias get quite full and fill in the middle of the box nicely, making for another perfect filler without taking over like petunias can.
- Bidens. Bidens are quite showy but require some deadheading to keep them clean. They also come in yellow. This variety is called Campfire FireBurst.
- Calibrachoa. There are so many varieties of Calibrachoa to choose from. Colors, sizes, doubles..all of them being the perfect Spiller.
- Trailing Verbena. Trailing Verbena is my favorite spiller! There is an upright version of Verbena as well so make sure you look at the tag when picking one out.
- Persian Sheild. Persion Sheild is a gorgeous Thriller, adding color with its leaves alone. It can be planted in a sun or shade container.
- Desert Daisy. This sweet plant just goes crazy in any container whether in the sun or the shade. I love no-fail plants like this one.
- Creeping Jenny. I always love a pop of lime green hanging in the front, it can pop just as much as any of the flowers..and breaks up all the ...
Full Answer
What are the best plants to put in window boxes?
Its bushy appearance makes coleus a great filler and accent plant, although bold varieties like Chocolate Covered Cherry and Kong Red are showy enough to be the main attraction in a window box. Get coleus at Burpee for $24.95 (six plants). 3. Petunias
What are the best houseplants for Sunny windows?
There you can grow Houseplants for Sunny Windows. If you love plants and have large and bright windows in the home–you’re fortunate! You can grow most of the popular indoor plants and herbs there. Some of the best are listed below: 1. Jade Plant
What can I plant in a small garden with shutters?
This small container garden is overflowing with color and texture. Dark purple foliage from sweet potato vine is the perfect partner for bright pink petunias and calibrachoas while also accenting this home's dark blue shutters. A: Superbells Trailing Rose Calibrachoa —2
How do you plant plants in a window box?
Always make sure your window box has drainage holes. To aid drainage, place 2 inches of nonbiodegradable packing peanuts or old wine corks in the bottom of the box, and then cover with landscape fabric to prevent soil from seeping out. Next, fill the box halfway with potting soil, and add your plants.
What plants do well in a window box?
Petunias, geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, and begonias are good choices for main-theme flowers. Fill in with things like inch plant, ivy, euonymus, heather, or vinca, which will cascade over the edge of the box. Impatiens do well in shady locations. More subtle choices include coleus, heliotrope, and salvia.
How many plants should I put in a window box?
The size of your container and the types of plants you are using make a difference. “Most plants will grow 3 to 4 times larger by the end of the season, so leaving some room for growth is important,” says Sue. Sue recommends using 5 to 7 plants in a 24” window box depending on the varieties you select..
What flowers are good in pots in full sun?
The Best Flowers for Pots in Full SunZahara Zinnia. An old-fashioned favorite, zinnias had a makeover in 2018 when Ball Horticultural Company introduced this hot weather-happy zinnia. ... Diamond Frost Euphorbia. ... Mandevilla Vine. ... Supertunia Petunia. ... Bolivian Begonia. ... Summer Snapdragon. ... Scaevola. ... Lantana.More items...•
What can I plant in a west facing window box?
For a window box that's south- or west-facing and gets more than six hours of direct sun per day, consider alyssum, full-sun celosia, geraniums, lavender, marigolds, Mexican sage, mint, petunias, potato vine, succulents, thyme, verbena, and vinca.
How do you organize plants in a window box?
If you're set on using all the same flowers in your window boxes, go for it but keep the look from falling flat by getting the same flower in different colors. Or if color is your priority, choose different flowers that share the same hue.
How do you make a window box beautiful?
0:0510:26DIY Window Boxes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd this is about the cheapest wood that you can get that's pressure-treated. And this is like aMoreAnd this is about the cheapest wood that you can get that's pressure-treated. And this is like a rough cut it's about a little over half inch. By 6 or 8 inches. So.
What is the best plant for full sun?
The Best Flowers for Full SunHibiscus. Perennial hibiscus fills the summer garden with stunning, dinner plate-size blooms. ... Purple Coneflower. Give your garden a burst of color with a drift of native purple coneflower. ... Echibeckia. ... 'Millennium' Allium. ... Coreopsis. ... Bee Balm. ... Russian Sage. ... Daylily.More items...•
Can you plant perennials in window boxes?
If gardening isn't your thing or if money is an issue, perennials are the perfect choice for window boxes. In the right climate and environment, they can survive through the winter and grow back the following spring. In climates with light frosts, your perennial choices may seem endless.
Are geraniums good for window boxes?
Geraniums are beautifully fragrant plants that look great in window boxes. What is this? They grow best in a sunny spot, but they need some afternoon shade in hot summer weather.
What goes with geraniums in window boxes?
For a 2′ window box, use 2-3 geraniums, for a 3′ window box use 3-4 geraniums. In between the main plants, put in a filler plant- something that stays lower and more compact such as lobelia, calibrachoa, compact verbenas, flowering vinca or petunias.
How many plants should I put in 36 in window box?
nine side36" Window Box Planter with attached liner. Holds nine side plants, nine top edging plants and three 6" or gallon size centerpiece plants.
How many flowers do I need for a window box?
For a 2′ window box, use 2-3 geraniums, for a 3′ window box use 3-4 geraniums. In between the main plants, put in a filler plant- something that stays lower and more compact such as lobelia, calibrachoa, compact verbenas, flowering vinca or petunias.
How many impatiens are in a window box?
3 plantsAllow about 3 plants in a 10-12” container. #5. Water, water, water. All plants – especially impatiens – are like humans… we need water to survive!
How deep should a window planter box be?
A minimum of 8 inches in depth and 8 inches from front to back is required to have enough room for a selection of plants. Larger–say a foot in depth and width–is even better, particularly if you want to include a lot of plants and want them to fill out enough to overflow the box.
What flowers can be used in a window box?
A window box gives gardeners the opportunity to make ample use of delicate trailing flowers that might succumb to mud splatters and insect pests on the ground. While petunias will always be popular, explore unusual trailing flowers like the tropical red chenille plant (pictured).
What to put in window box for marigolds?
Home grown salads just got prettier. Vining cherry tomatoes and mini pepper plants act as colorful and tasty anchors for a window box bursting with marigolds and herbs. Keep flowering vegetable window boxes moist and fed with a liquid fish emulsion every week to keep them productive throughout the season.
How to make an urban garden look like a garden?
To achieve this densely planted look, choose a moss-lined wire window box or hayrack planter, and plant top, sides, and bottom with closely spaced pelargoniums (annual geraniums). Add a few licorice plants at the bottom for foliage interest.
What is a window box?
Unlike a container planter on the porch or a hanging basket, a window box is an extension of your home, an accessory that marries living plant material to your architecture. Flowers are usually the central feature of the window box for most gardeners, and if your home’s façade is sunny, you can have a large range of blooming choices. ...
Do pansies bloom in winter?
The gardening season does not have to end when the snow flies. Pansies are the quintessential cold weather flower, and they are even hardier in a window box. No need to wait for half-frozen soggy winter soil to yield to your trowel with a window box planting. Even when a hard freeze is expected, pansies can bounce back, meaning you can display the first flowers on the block in early spring. Pansies will rebound from temperatures of 26 F with ease. Pair them with equally cold hardy violas, ornamental cabbage, scented stock, or sweet peas.
Do you need to deadhead petunias?
The prominent position of a window box makes it important to give the flowers a bit of extra TLC. Some flowers, like vinca and profusion zinnias, need little or no deadheading, but petunias always look better with a weekly snipping to remove spent blossoms and to maintain a compact plant. You should also fertilize every other week, and remove yellowing or dead foliage as needed.
Can you plant vines in a window box?
Cultivating vines in window boxes is an interesting twist for a container garden. Many window box designs employ trailing plants; the addition of vines draws the eye up. You can use a small trellis to support vines in window boxes, or take advantage of architecture as in the shutters used here.
What to put in a plant container at the window?
Placing plant containers at each window, filled with colorful blooms, scented flowers, and gently trailing plants, not only creates a stunning visual appearance to your house but is a great way to bring nature as close to your home as possible.
How Many Plants Can I Put in a Window Box?
The general rule of thumb is four plants for a 12-inch planter, six plants for a 16-inch planter, eight plants for a 20-inch planter, and so on. Keep in mind that a planter looks somewhat sparse in the beginning but fills out as the plants grow.
Where Should I Place My Window Box?
This depends on the types of flowers or plants you are growing. Windows that face the south receive more sunshine in the northern hem isphere and is the area that sun-loving plants grow best. Plants that tolerate partial sun and shade grow well on the east side of the house while shade-loving plants grow best on a north-facing side.
What is the most colorful flower in a window box?
Pansy (Viola tricolor var. hortensis) – Most Colorful Filler Plant for Window Boxes. ( duskbabe /123rf.com) Pansies provide a vibrant array of colorful blooms from early spring to fall. These fragrant flowers come in splashes of bright blooms that include red, blue, purple, orange, pink, and white.
What color are spiky flowers?
This plant produces spiky flowers in shades of pink, red, blue, and white that stands out against the purple/burgundy foliage. Not only does this flower provide your window box with a colorful display of blooms during the summer, but it also has bright fall foliage.
What is a window box flower?
Window box flowers not only add curb appeal to your home, but they are also a great way to enjoy nature if you don’t have outdoor space for planting. They are similar to hanging baskets yet are perched directly on the outside of your window. A gorgeous window box brings the beauty of nature so close to your home that you can touch it.
Is vinca a drought tolerant plant?
This annual flower is a sun lover, is drought tolerant, and thri ves even during the hottest days of summer. As a low maintenance plant, vinca is an excellent flower for beginning gardeners and provides dainty blooms continuously.
What plants can grow in a sunny window?
Succulents. Succulents are the greatest addition to any warm and sunny window where they’ll happily thrive in light. 10. Norfolk Island Pine. Botanical Name: Araucaria heterophylla. Norfolk Island Pine can attain a good height indoors if you have a sunny window in your lounge or living room.
What are some good plants to grow in a window?
6. Palms. You can grow compact palm varieties by the windows that receive filtered sunlight. Some of the best ones are Cascade palm, Areca palm, Parlor Palm, Dwarf Fan Palm, and Ponytail Palm.
What is the best houseplant for direct sunlight?
18. Clivia . Botanical Name: Clivia . Bright and colorful clivias are perfect for a spot that receives direct morning sunlight. If you’ve got an East facing window–this is the perfect houseplant. *Clivia, especially its bulbs, are toxic to dogs and cats. Ingesting it can cause clinical symptoms.
What is the best vegetable to grow on a sunny window?
Botanical Name: Lactuca sativa. Lettuce is an ideal green vegetable for a bright window. This crispy salad green offers a great taste when used fresh and also harvest quickly–about 8 weeks for most varieties. Discover the names of more vegetables you can grow on a sunny windowsill here.
How much sunlight do herbs need?
Herbs can be used in several ways in the kitchen. Grow them where these plants can receive a minimum of 4-5 hours of direct sunlight. A south or west-facing window will be an ideal spot.
What type of palms grow best in a living room?
Here are the best types of Crotons you can grow. 4. Sago Palm. Image Source: gardentags. Botanical Name: Cycas revoluta. This slow-growing palm does not produce flowers and hardly shed its leaves, making it a neat choice for a living room or bedrooms with bright windows.
Can cactus be grown in a window?
Plants from the cactus family are perfect for growing near sunny windows and glass doors. Check out some of the best you can grow indoors here.
What flowers grow well in a window box?
Low-growing annuals, that love the heat, soften the edges of the flower box as they drape down the sides. Portulaca, or moss roses, (Portulaca grandiflora) come in vibrant colors such as pink, red, yellow and orange. The 1-inch diameter flowers have almost transparent petals surrounding the centers. Zinnias (Zinnia elegans) are the best friends of a sunny window box. Varieties grow from 6 inches high to 36 inches high in every color except true blue. Other annuals that thrive in the heat include marigolds (Tagetes erecta) and celosia (Celosia crista).
How to play up the heat in a window box?
Play up the heat by combining hot colors in the box. Mix golden coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) with orange lantana and red salvia (Salvia splendens). Cool off the visual temperature with a combo of blue, white and purples. Try blue salvia, with white zinnias and purple lantana. Keep the colors consistent in each window box at the front of the house. In other words, all the boxes should have about the same ratio of colors.
Do you have to water a window box?
The window boxes are heavy when watered, and you'll have to water often during hot, sunny weather. Secure them to the window ledge, or house wall, rather than just balancing the box on the window ledge. Provide an insulation between the exterior of the box and the plants roots.
Can flowering plants withstand the heat?
The sun is very strong in the summer and I would like to know what flowering plants can withstand the heat and sun. There are a number of annual plants that can handle strong sun and heat during the summer months, relatively pest free. The first that come to mind are petunias, especially the trailing varieties.
Do zinnias bloom in summer?
Dwarf zinnias, which are multi-colored, thrive in heat, but bloom later in the summer. There is also the moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora) in red, rose, orange, yellow or white --they are drought tolerant and low maintenance.
Can petunias take heat?
These come in many colors, have a delightful aroma, and can tolerate drought. Petunias can take the heat. White Flower Farm. It’s always a good idea to check plants in exposed window boxes daily during the summer to see if they need water. If they do, water them in the early morning, preferably before the sun hits them.
Can sweet potato vine take over?
Occasionally I’ve used Sweet Potato Vine for that pop of lime but they can tend to take over. With creeping Jenny..more times than not it will come back in my containers and / or in the ground beneath it where it reseeded. In the ground it can tend to takeover, but in a container it’s easy enough to pull out. It sure does save some money when you do a lot of containers.
Do Zinnias fill the middle of a box?
Zinnias get quite full and fill in the middle of the box nicely, making for another perfect filler without taking over like petunias can. There are lots of different colors to choose from as well. I paired these with another orange that tends to Fill and Spill.. 5.
Is verbena spiky or globe shaped?
When creating a container, texture is just as important as color. I love for the flowers I pick to vary in size and shape. Some being globe shaped, others having more petals on a single flower, still others being more spiky.
What plants grow in window boxes in winter?
Myrtle or periwinkle (Vinca minor), common ivy (Hedera helix), and wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) add trailing evergreen interest to window box plantings throughout winter. Vinca leaves darken slightly throughout winter, while ivy leaves can become very dark. One species of wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei "Coloratus") becomes purple in winter. Ivy can be cut back sharply to increase bushiness or pruned at the end of excessively long stems.
What is the best flower for a window box?
Dwarf fuchsia (Fuchsia spp.) varieties grow about a foot high and some are covered with pale pink flowers throughout summer. They grow as perennials in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 to 11 and elsewhere as annuals. Fuchsia is suitable for window boxes that get partial or filtered shade. Lantana (Lantana spp.), sometimes called shrub verbena, offers higher-impact blooms from late spring through fall. Plants are evergreen in USDA zones 9 through 11, although frost may stimulate some leaf-drop. Lantanas bloom in a wide range of colors, including white, yellow, orange, hot pink and intense violet in full sun.
What is the best shade for ginger?
Wild ginger grows best with morning sun and afternoon shade. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptens) foilage is bronzy dark purple throughout the winter, growing in leaf clusters under 6 inches high. Spreading by runners, it will trail attractively over the edge of the window box. Early summer 6-inch spires of bright blue flowers add to bugleweed's year round ...
What bulbs are good for window boxes?
Dutch bulbs suitable for window boxes in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 include dwarf narcissus, grape hyacinth (Muscarii spp.), Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) and lilies (Lilium spp.), and can be planted October through January. Tulips, hyacinths and crocus can be planted in spring after artificial wintering, ...
What is a salvia plant?
For window boxes in full sun, perennial salvias (Salvia spp.) generate abundant flower stalks in shades of purple, blue and white all summer long. Plants tolerate both heat and occasional dry soil and varieties can be found in a range of 1 to 2 feet, including flower stalks. Equally heat and dry-soil tolerant, the succulent sedum genus ranges from creeping, trailing varieties (S. rupestre) to more floral forms. Commonly called stonecrop, sedum adds texture, foliage color in shades of green, bronze and burgundy, and mid-summer-to-fall blooming pink flower clusters that attract bees and other pollinators.
What bulbs are used in a trailing vine?
Perennial Bulbs. Combining a trailing vine with fall-planted spring bulbs like dwarf iris (Iris reticulata), mini-daffodils, ranunculus and grape hyacinths, changes winter green to spring colors at a height under 12 inches.
Do window boxes die off?
It's just plain sad to watch window box plants die off at the end of a long growing season. Exhausted annuals remind you that summer leisure is about to give way to autumn's hectic rush. While your fall schedule may leave you a bit wilted, refreshing your window boxes with hardy perennials will give you a great, low-upkeep look that will last into next spring and beyond.
How to keep soil from seeping out of window box?
To aid drainage, place 2 inches of nonbiodegradable packing peanuts or old wine corks in the bottom of the box, and then cover with landscape fabric to prevent soil from seeping out.
What is a window box?
Window boxes are a blank slate for you to design and plant in. If you plant them right, the design options for a successful window box are endless. By Miranda Crowell. June 06, 2019.
What plants are mixed with purple fountain grass?
This arrangement achieves masses of texture by mixing wispy purple fountain grass, croton, and spilling sweet potato vine. The form differences ensure each plant stands out even though the box is tightly packed.
How to stop overcrowding of plants?
Once your plants are in place, fill in the gaps with more soil and lightly pat down around the plants .
Can you make a window box with spiller?
As long as you remember to include a thriller, spiller, and filler that all have the same light requirements, you can assemble a full, colorful window box. Keep garden design elements in mind on a smaller scale, and give your box plenty of water to keep the plants happy all summer long.