Spring boxes

As the days get longer and snow drops, tulips and crocus announce the spring it is time to get your window boxes ready. Summer plants will start to be available at the end of May. Until then we can enjoy other plants and blossoms.

 

You are still on time to get some bulbs to make your window boxes or planter displays more interesting. Mixing them with seasonal and perennial plants will give your containers dynamism. Just when you start to get used to the sight of your pot some new blossoms will show.

There is a variety of evergreen perennial plants to combine with seasonal flowers to allow for different colours and textures ex: Aucubas, Euonymus, aromatic plants, etc.

Aucuba leaves

Winter Tips

If you are lacking colour in the garden, then why not get some of that colour with a winter flowering container to keep you smiling until spring.

Make sure to feed your flowering plants with potassium rich fertiliser to guarantee a long colourful display over winter.

You can also rely for some colour in your interior plants. And if you have a good spot for your geraniums at home they will keep blossoming!

Remember to avoid sources of heat ex. Radiators underneath or next of your plants. Freshness is usually good.

 

If you haven’t done it yet, is time to mulch your half hardy perennials using straw or bark. Remember that the mulching should be around 10 cm deep to be effective. 

Alternatively, you could use a thick layer of leaves from other shrubs in your garden. It is also important to give some protection to foliage against frost covering those plants with a frost resistant material ex. Fleece. You could ask in your garden centre about the options that they have available.

Don’t just drop the material on top. It should have some kind of structure to allow space for the plant and air circulation.

Window boxes: “Mediterranean”

This is an example of a “Mediterranean” style window box. This design is integrated by three window boxes that are part of a balcony project where these, and other containers, were provided by the client. 

 Unconventionally, two window boxes were placed on the left hand side of the balcony and one on the right. The purpose of this is having and area in the middle where to place a table with two chairs. This allows the house owner to have a coffee in sunny days while enjoying her flowers and having a view of the street. 

Similar arrangements are available from £190 .