How To Wow With a Wonderful Window Box
Enliven walls with a beautiful window box filled with blooms and buds
Lara Sargent
16 June 2015
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience writing for national magazines, newspapers and websites.
Houzz UK contributor. Freelance interiors journalist with over 20 years' experience... More
The window box is often the only dabble with gardening for the high-rise, flat dweller. Even so, this very particular type of cute and compact, container garden can add so much to every sort of home - from an inner-city apartment to a sprawling, detached lodge in the heart of the country. Window boxes inject bold colour, texture and interest to a lacklustre exterior, in little or large doses, depending on the effect you want to achieve. Be inspired by our top 10 window box rules so even the most un-green fingered among us can show off their mini gardens with pride…
Stick to a single colour
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to your choice of planting.
But sometimes a single flower can create as much drama and dimension as a riot of colour by offering the most simple statement – and all without trying too hard.
This flourish of baby pink softens the strict lines of the grey window box rather effortlessly.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to your choice of planting.
But sometimes a single flower can create as much drama and dimension as a riot of colour by offering the most simple statement – and all without trying too hard.
This flourish of baby pink softens the strict lines of the grey window box rather effortlessly.
Make a flourish with foliage
Trailing plants, cascading over the edges of a container, soften the architecture of any home with a rustic, bucolic look.
The pretty, untamed mass of sugary pink geraniums and trailing ivy, climbing up and around the walls and windows, creates a charming, chocolate-box front that is hard to resist.
Add in the weathered blue shutters for just a hint of French, chateau chic…
Be inspired by more plants to enliven the front of your house
Trailing plants, cascading over the edges of a container, soften the architecture of any home with a rustic, bucolic look.
The pretty, untamed mass of sugary pink geraniums and trailing ivy, climbing up and around the walls and windows, creates a charming, chocolate-box front that is hard to resist.
Add in the weathered blue shutters for just a hint of French, chateau chic…
Be inspired by more plants to enliven the front of your house
Create some contrast
The neatly trimmed box hedges work perfectly with the rather smart frontage of this Victorian Chelsea townhouse and its traditional tiled entrance, black door and wrought iron fence and gate.
But then then owners have had some fun and created a total contrast to this formality and order, by injecting colour in the shape of clouds of pink blooms cascading loosely over the edges of containers and onto the chequerboard tiles
The neatly trimmed box hedges work perfectly with the rather smart frontage of this Victorian Chelsea townhouse and its traditional tiled entrance, black door and wrought iron fence and gate.
But then then owners have had some fun and created a total contrast to this formality and order, by injecting colour in the shape of clouds of pink blooms cascading loosely over the edges of containers and onto the chequerboard tiles
Do your own thing
This is a fabulous idea for a terrace or patio and creates a mass of foliage in a small, all-white space (ideal if you haven’t got any earth or lawn to speak of).
The rusty iron window boxes are planted with fragrant lavender plants that can waft indoors when windows are left open. Then add an ‘artistic’ flourish with horizontal ‘pot hangers’ filled with emerald green foliage spilling over on to the pure white surfaces.
This is a fabulous idea for a terrace or patio and creates a mass of foliage in a small, all-white space (ideal if you haven’t got any earth or lawn to speak of).
The rusty iron window boxes are planted with fragrant lavender plants that can waft indoors when windows are left open. Then add an ‘artistic’ flourish with horizontal ‘pot hangers’ filled with emerald green foliage spilling over on to the pure white surfaces.
Fill up the gaps
More is often better when it comes to container planting so feel free to max out on foliage, plant size and colour. Avoid any large gaps between plants and, if possible, incorporate a year-round, skeleton of evergreens which can be refreshed, seasonally, with new bedding plants.
More is often better when it comes to container planting so feel free to max out on foliage, plant size and colour. Avoid any large gaps between plants and, if possible, incorporate a year-round, skeleton of evergreens which can be refreshed, seasonally, with new bedding plants.
Neaten up
A neat and symmetrical arrangement of clipped, box globes, sitting in bespoke metal ‘balconies’, is spot-on for this smart, urban frontage.
The choice of plants harmonises well with the potted bay trees, downstairs, and offers a fairly, maintenence-free scheme throughout the year.
Just don’t forget to water!
A neat and symmetrical arrangement of clipped, box globes, sitting in bespoke metal ‘balconies’, is spot-on for this smart, urban frontage.
The choice of plants harmonises well with the potted bay trees, downstairs, and offers a fairly, maintenence-free scheme throughout the year.
Just don’t forget to water!
Go potty for pots
This is a rather charming alternative to a traditional window box – and works wonders if you wish to liven up a shed or outhouse.
A fixed, singular window box has been replaced by a pair of shelves, lined with a profusion of potted plants in all manner of shape, colour and size. And remember such a gorgeous display of bedding plants can be easily taken inside once the display is over.
More garden sheds with real appeal
This is a rather charming alternative to a traditional window box – and works wonders if you wish to liven up a shed or outhouse.
A fixed, singular window box has been replaced by a pair of shelves, lined with a profusion of potted plants in all manner of shape, colour and size. And remember such a gorgeous display of bedding plants can be easily taken inside once the display is over.
More garden sheds with real appeal
Create a bold mix
A tiered arrangement of bedding plants is perfect for this modern, laid-back look. The choice of flower and mix of colour (I love the band of rich purple pansies) isn’t overly formal but equally the blooms don’t spill over too haphazardly to detract from the pleasing sense of symmetry.
Make sure the upright plants at the back aren’t so small that you can’t see them from inside, but on the other hand, too tall, and light into the house will be seriously reduced.
A tiered arrangement of bedding plants is perfect for this modern, laid-back look. The choice of flower and mix of colour (I love the band of rich purple pansies) isn’t overly formal but equally the blooms don’t spill over too haphazardly to detract from the pleasing sense of symmetry.
Make sure the upright plants at the back aren’t so small that you can’t see them from inside, but on the other hand, too tall, and light into the house will be seriously reduced.
Be box clever
Size is important and you should aim for a minimum depth and width of 20cm for your box. Any less, and your plants will dry out too quickly.
Secure fixing is essential too and ensure screws and brackets are strong enough to support the weight of the box.
I really like the simplicity of this evergreen display where the crisp, white box offers a simple highlight against the muted, silvery shrubs and soft grey painted cladding.
Size is important and you should aim for a minimum depth and width of 20cm for your box. Any less, and your plants will dry out too quickly.
Secure fixing is essential too and ensure screws and brackets are strong enough to support the weight of the box.
I really like the simplicity of this evergreen display where the crisp, white box offers a simple highlight against the muted, silvery shrubs and soft grey painted cladding.
Seek out the sun
Positioning is key. Sunny windows are generally the best spot for a floral display although shade-loving plants such as begonia can create an eyecatching display against a north-facing wall.
This blend of yellow, brown and green plants is neat, sweet and unpretentious and doesn’t overwhelm the impact of the azure blue, wooden shutters.
Positioning is key. Sunny windows are generally the best spot for a floral display although shade-loving plants such as begonia can create an eyecatching display against a north-facing wall.
This blend of yellow, brown and green plants is neat, sweet and unpretentious and doesn’t overwhelm the impact of the azure blue, wooden shutters.
Make it massive
OK, so this isn’t strictly speaking a window box, but in front of this home’s bifold windows, this white painted planter bursting with pink flowers visually creates the same effect – just a whole lot bigger.
Use this sort of giant window box to provide an attractive divider between patio area and garden proper and, of course, to do what all great windowboxes do – give you a beautiful view from inside.
TELL US…
Have you worked wonders with a window box? We’d love to see your images and tips.
OK, so this isn’t strictly speaking a window box, but in front of this home’s bifold windows, this white painted planter bursting with pink flowers visually creates the same effect – just a whole lot bigger.
Use this sort of giant window box to provide an attractive divider between patio area and garden proper and, of course, to do what all great windowboxes do – give you a beautiful view from inside.
TELL US…
Have you worked wonders with a window box? We’d love to see your images and tips.
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For what it's worth, I planted 3 marigolds that I had over from another project. Delightful BUT what heavy drinkers and respond well to daily snipping and deadheading. Worth every minute though!