Installing window boxes on your house and filling them with a bright array of flowers improves the curb appeal and attractiveness of your home. Shorter flowers, hanging flowers, or climbing plants are options.
Flower boxes can also be a mess without proper care and the wrong types of flowers. Consider what you want to achieve and get advice before planting.
What Makes Some Flowers Poor Window Box Choices
Window boxes are usually fairly confined spaces. The plants require regular care. Some are too big and some are too heavy. Some flowers like zinnias and dahlias are not heavy bloomers–leaving window boxes looking sparse and drab.
Tall Flowers
Tall plants cover too much of the window–shading the home’s interior and reducing airflow. They can fall over and need to be replaced. Interspersed with smaller plants makes the flower box appear asymmetrical, poorly planned, and messy.
Flowers That Require a Stake Or Netting
Stakes or netting to support flowers like morning glories do not work in most flower boxes. The boxes don’t have enough depth to support stakes properly. Climbing or tall flowers obscure the opening. Netting and trellis often need to be fastened to the house or window frame–damaging the finish and allowing water penetration.
Delicate Flowers
Do not plant flowers that are not heat and/or drought-resistant. Some snapdragons along with many other flowers require regular watering and wilt without it. Window boxes usually get much less rain than falls on the ground. Too much sunlight stresses flowers that grow best in shaded areas.
Flowers With Large Roots
Flowers with large root balls or extensive root systems–like cosmos and large zinnias–outgrow flower boxes. Not only are these plants stressed by lack of space, they outcompete other plants in the box for water and nutrients.
Sun and Shade
Choose the right…