If you’re looking for perennials to fill your window boxes, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re a green thumb or not, you can grow beautiful plants in a window box throughout the year. You can even choose a flower that is edible. Try Petunias, Variegated plants, or evergreens. These are just a few of the choices you have!
Evergreens
If you are planning to grow a garden in your window box, you should consider planting evergreens. Evergreens provide a beautiful and lush look year round. These plants grow well in container settings because they have a small root system. If you want a plant that blooms in the spring, you should choose violas or pansies. You can also plant flowering cabbage or kale. Flowering kale adds a nice cream or white color to your window box.
For a summery look, consider planting annual lobelias or petunias. You can also plant trailing plants like annual lobelias or petunias. These plants will provide evergreen structure for your window box all year round. While box balls are a classic choice, they are risky for window boxes due to their susceptibleness to box moth and blight. Alternatives include lavender, dwarf hebes, or cordylines.
The perennial plant Golden Creeping Jenny can add color to your window box all year long. These plants can be easily grown in containers and will trail over the sides of the container. Its size ranges from 2 to 4 inches in height and 12 to 18 inches in width. Golden Creeping Jenny grows slowly, so they can be controlled easily. They are best complemented by plants with summer blooms and winter foliage.
Besides providing year-round interest, evergreens are great window box plants because they do not require a lot of maintenance. Even if you want a plant that provides color throughout the winter, boxwoods are easy to grow and hardy in zones four through nine. For smaller containers, you can opt for dwarf varieties of boxwood. Miniature conifers grow an inch a year, so it is easy to handle and maintain.
Petunias
When it comes to plant selection for window boxes, petunias are unsurpassed. Not only are they easy to care for, they also grow well in pots and need less maintenance than many other types of flowers. Unlike other types of flowering plants, which receive moisture from the soil through their leaves, petunias receive moisture from the soil through their roots. That means they need less water than other plants, so they are the best choice for window boxes.
Petunias require minimal maintenance, but can be deadheaded to encourage more blooms. If you have limited space, consider a grandiflora variety for a window box. This variety grows to be up to fifteen inches long and boasts stunning blooms that can reach four inches in diameter. Petunias need five to six hours of sun daily to thrive.
Petunias are one of the best plants for window boxes all year round. Their colorful foliage mixes beautifully with sharper foliage. If you don’t have much room, choose a plant that loves full sun. In addition to petunias, you can also add ivy or variegated grass to complement a minimalist style. In Brooklyn, a window box found on Cobble Hill is a perfect fit for an eclectic mix of textures.
If you are looking for a more subtle addition to your window box, consider the licorice plant. Its silvery-white leaves are an excellent accent and can also grow in low-light areas. Another excellent choice is the trailing ivy-leaf pelargonium. Trailing euphorbias also pair well with shrubs in pots.
Variegated plants
If you’re looking for a striking display that will last all year, consider using a variegated plant. Not only do they look great, but they also offer architectural appeal. Here are some plants that will give your window boxes a year-round look:
For a spring-filled planter, plant an inch of holly fern, followed by a few more inches of Caladium Aaron. Begonias and ‘Key Lime Pie’ heuchera are also excellent choices. Plants with a more subtle color palette can include ‘White Nancy’ lamium or ‘light pink periwinkle’. Both varieties of these plants will provide the perfect amount of color in the window box all season long.
Choose plants that don’t require much maintenance. If the window ledge does not receive direct sunlight, a low-maintenance perennial is an excellent option. They won’t take up much space and will last for months without requiring replanting. They’re also a great choice if you want a minimalist aesthetic. Choosing the right plant for the right spot is important.
Bright colors can brighten up your window box. Pink geraniums and white petunias look great layered in a window box. To add variety to your window boxes, try mixing up the heights and widths of your flowers. Varying the height and width of the flowers will keep the arrangement from becoming too monotonous. Consider adding spiller flowers to the window box as well to prevent it from becoming too monotonous.
Perennials
Perennials make wonderful window box plants because they grow well in container gardening. You can use annuals and tender perennials that last only a year, as well as some semi-hardy shrubs for the winter months. Perennials come in a variety of shapes, colors, and heights, so there’s a perennial for just about every style or budget. Some of the most popular perennials for window boxes include petunias, lobelia, nicotiana, night-scented stock, and cyclamens. Other perennials for window boxes include the ferny-leaf Creeping Jenny, also known as moneywort. The foliage of the ferny plant has dense, trailing leaves.
When choosing perennials for your window boxes, you should consider whether they are best suited to your area. Evergreen topiary and shrubs, for instance, will require more space than perennials. Be sure to check their labels for proper spacing and staking. If they do not, you may want to consider planting some annuals and bulbs to fill in the space. These plants require a regular watering regime, so make sure you choose the right one.
Another great perennial for your window box is the Mexican Fleabane. The starry white daisies of this perennial bloom for months, and they come back year after year. For a more colorful window box, you can plant strawberry plants with the red-spiked Pelargoniums. The two plants complement each other well and can both tolerate some shade. The red varieties are particularly attractive. It is not recommended to plant them in a sunny location.
For a more sophisticated look, consider combining a few perennials with evergreen vines. While they are not quite at ground level, they can still create lush window boxes with minimal effort. These plants can also be used as a groundcover for window boxes, so you can hide them from the view of neighbors. If you want privacy, juniper is a great perennial. Its long needles are great for window boxes, and it is hardy in zone three to nine.
Vinca
Vinca, also known as catharanthus, is a low-maintenance perennial that grows well in containers and window boxes. It will bloom profusely as temperatures rise and fall and will bloom for as long as the soil is moist but not wet. Unlike other perennials, vinca won’t flower if the soil is too wet or too dry. The best time to sow seeds for vinca is 12 to 15 weeks before the last frost. Keep the seed pots in a dark, well-draining location to avoid waterlogged roots. After germination, they should be transplanted into larger containers once they have reached a height of two to three feet.
Vinca has a variety of colors to offer. The Pacifica Series grows to 14 inches tall with large, bright flowers in different colors. The ‘Blue Pearl’ variety is the closest to a blue vinca that exists. It is extra early in blooming and produces flowers in white, pink, and light purple. The ‘Heat Wave’ series is an extra early bloomer. The ‘Mediterranean’ series is an extra-early bloomer and comes in white and lilac.
If you want a window box plant that blooms all year, you can consider growing miniature roses. These are very easy to grow and require little maintenance. Just remember to leave a few inches between them. They like good air circulation so don’t crowd them. It also helps to cut back dead blossoms to promote new blossoms. A small plant can cascade over the edge of the window box.
Lobelia is another excellent choice for window boxes. The spiky flowers of this perennial stand out against the purple/burgundy foliage. They are also easy to care for and don’t require regular fertilization. They thrive in partial to full sun and grow one to three feet tall. This plant is popular among hummingbirds. The flowers can also last for months. When they are blooming, you can rest assured that they will continue to look lovely.