Many garden designs and features, that could be beautiful, fail to accomplish their purpose because of lack of thought in their preparation. Among these, window box gardening seems especially susceptible to failure. Designed to express beauty and to ornament the house, the flower window box often becomes an unsightly blemish upon the otherwise unbroken expanse of the house front. It is quite possible, with careful thought and care that quaint and charming old house windows can be kept filled with growing window box flowers year-round. Nevertheless, not all plants can be used in a window flower box. Plants for this purpose must retain their foliage throughout the summer, the period of bloom must continue for a number of weeks, and the normal growth of the plant should not be impaired by crowding the root development within a small area. |
Window box flowers will do well in any window not shaded by porches if plants best suited to the light are selected. Many plants too tender to bed out in the open ground may be trusted to window planters. Fuchsias, Ferns, Asparagus Sprengeri, A. tenuissimus, Ageratums, fancy-leaved Caladiums, and various tuberous-rooted Begonias, like the silver-spotted, known as Angel's Wing, are all lovely examples of window box ideas. Rubra and most of the Begonias do splendidly in a north window. For windows facing the street, where the flower window box effect is principally sought, bright Geraniums, Heliotropes, Coleus, Crotons, and similar plants are preferable, provided there is sufficient sunshine to bring out all their rich coloring. The fancy-leaved Caladiums may be used where a spot of bright color is sought in a north window. |
Hanging window gardens placed at the window sill level are of immense decorative value to both the interior and exterior of any home. When planning window box flowers the effect of the color scheme should be considered from the inside of the various rooms in the house, as well as, the effect upon the aspect of the house itself. There are numerous possibilities outside of the conventional window boxes planted with periwinkle, geraniums, and daisies. The following groups of plants are those adapted for window planters in varying exposures of sunlight. These plants should not be placed in window flower boxes which cannot be thoroughly drained unless great care is exercised in watering; otherwise the soil will become overly damp and the plants will be drowned out. |
For a south or west exposure, the following window box flowers and plants will fare well: Floss Flower, English Ivy, Snapdragon, Heliotrope, Croton, Annual Lobelia, Dracena, Maurandy Vine, Cardinal Geranium, Ground Ivy, Scarlet Geranium, Ivy-leaved Geranium, Salmon Double Geranium, Drummond's Phlox, and Swainsonia. For an east exposure, choose from the following: Snapdragon, Dracena, Tuberous Begonia, Heliotrope, Petunia, Kenilworth Ivy, Ivy-leaved Geranium, Trailing Vinca, Jerusalem Cherry Vine, Nasturtium, and many varieties of ferns. The following plants will do well in window boxes with a north exposure: Floss Flower, Asparagus Fern, Elephant's Ear, Boston Fern, Trailing Fuchsia, Morning Glory, Ground Ivy, Petunia, and Trailing Vinca. [ Author: Albert D. Taylor. The Complete Garden] |
