Ideas 4 Life

I stumbled across these great planting displays on my Sunday morning ramble. It just goes to prove that you can plant almost anything.

I love this milk churn – doesn’t it look romantic…

The new autumn planting plan for your windowbox has just been released at Garden Boutique.

Each season, a new window box planting plan is designed for customers by leading UK garden designer Alice Bowe

This planting plan comes free with every window box purchase – and with both traditional and adventurous planting suggestions on every planting plan, it’s a great idea for an original birthday gift

Galvanized zinc window boxes are a garden classic – and these gorgeous versions with their chunky lip are great value.

Available as a 40cm Galvanized Zinc window box or a 60cm Galvanized Zinc window box

When planting a windowbox, choosing plants to match your exposure is the key to success.

If you choose shade loving plants for a window box on a south or west-facing wall, the foliage will get scorched in the high light levels; and plants that thrive in full sun will grow tall and leggy in a northern exposure.

SHADE LOVING PLANTS FOR A NORTH FACING WINDOW BOX

If you are planting a shady windowbox, try:

Hellebores – I particularly like H. orientalis ‘Ballards Hybrids’ but there are some lovely ones to choose from

Hosta – try mixing a few different sized hostas in the same planting for a lush effect

Fern’s such as Polystichum Aculeatum (Hardy Shield Fern) and Adiantum (Maidenhair Fern) or even Asparagus falcatus (Asparagus Fern}

Shade loving herbs such as Parsley, Chive and Mint

Pansy – classic window box plant

Ivy – great for evergreen structure throughout the year

Fuschia – Elegant in hot pink or white

Hydrangea – looks great with ferns if you can get them small

PLANTS FOR A SOUTH OR WEST FACING WINDOWBOX

If you are planting a sunny windowbox, try:

Lavender – classic when planted on it’s own

Salvia – long flowering

Nasturtium – great for trailing over the side of your window box, and edible flowers too!

Sun loving herbs such as Basil, Oregano and Thyme

Strawberries – I particularly like to combine alpine strawberries with erigeron karviscianus

Verbena – another great long flowering essential

Back in 2003, a dozen members of the gardening elite were asked to each design a windowbox to raise money for charity at The Daily Telegraph House and Garden Fair. They were each given a zinc window box to style.

These mini show gardens range from the edible window box:

Roy Strong’s zinc window box shown above – inspired by Beatrice Potter and Mr McGregor!

To the low maintenance window box:

This sumptuous planting was created by top garden designer Arabella Lennox Boyd and features pelargonium ‘Lord Bute’ and Helichrysum petiolare ‘Silver’ for summer long interest

To a miniature version of Versaille in a windowbox – created by Paul Cooper and Bonita Bulaitis

Find out more, and see the other windowbox creations in the Telegraph article of 2003

Buy your very own aged zinc window box from Garden Boutique and send us your designs!