Ideas and Inspiration for Your Window Box Garden

Window boxes are miniature landscapes that can be customized to complement any design aesthetic. The options are seemingly endless: gorgeous blooms in an array of colors, ornamental grasses, succulents, and herbs. Grab a garden spade and get started with these stylish and functional window box ideas.

Build on the Classics

Most window boxes begin with a classic plant that boasts vibrant, long-lasting blossoms. Keep in mind the amount of light exposure the window gets, and choose your anchor plant accordingly.

Petunias, for example, enjoy full sun, while impatiens and begonias are ideal for partial sun or shade.  Zinnias, geraniums, hydrangeas, and nasturtiums are other timeless beauties that make great focal points to build a box around.

Use a Mixture of Plants

The key to a lush display is to use plants of different heights, textures, and shapes. Add snapdragons or salvia for visual interest and ornamental grasses to complement colorful blossoms.

Trailing plants, such as sweet potato vines and English ivy, lend drama, and easy-to-grow foliage, such as coleus, is great for filling in spaces. The soft-hued leaves of the licorice plant also make a pretty backdrop for most color themes.

Keep It Simple

While a carefully planned mixture of plants can make a dramatic impact, some gardeners take the opposite approach, showcasing a single type of plant in a window box.

There's a simple, understated elegance to a planter brimming with only sunny daffodils, cheerful tulips, pretty white daisies, or roses. The beauty of the flower serves as the main attraction.

Plant an Herb Garden

A window box full of delicious herbs is beautiful and functional. For best results, group herbs with similar needs. Rosemary, thyme, sage, and lavender like plenty of sun and are more drought-resistant.

Softer herbs, such as parsley, basil, and cilantro, prefer more water, especially on hot days. Give the herbs room to grow and add a slow-release fertilizer to help them thrive.

Dazzle With Succulents

Fleshy succulents come in an array of shapes and are low maintenance under the right conditions. Fill a window box with sunset jade, purple heart, desert cabbage, and rosette-shaped echeveria for an attractive mini-garden.

Add verticality with blue chalk sticks, and finish the arrangement with strands of baby's necklace. Succulents like light but burn with too much direct sun. Make sure the planter drains well, and let the plants dry out completely before watering.