A Storybook Window Box

Cascades of bright plants give any window a fairytale feel, whether it belongs to a quaint country cottage or a chic city apartment. A window box garden is lush landscaping in a little space, opening your home to an idyllic setting, even if it’s stories off the ground. A charming two-tone mix of hot pink and cool blue hydrangeas, paired with tufts of ferns and trailing ivy, seems sprung straight from the pages of your favorite home magazine. With a wave of your trowel, you can conjure one up for yourself… and enchant everyone who wanders by.
 

• Buy a pre-made wood window box from a home improvement store or nursery, prime it and paint it a glossy white. To dress it up a bit, nail or glue picture molding around the center of the front and sides. The box should run the width of your window and be eight inches deep to give roots room to spread.
• Cover the drainage holes with rocks or gravel, then fill the box 2/3 full with a half-and-half mixture of potting soil and a perlite/peat moss blend. (It’s lighter than potting soil and helps retain water.) Blend in a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to give plants a growing start.
• Arrange your plants on top, alternating pink and blue-lavender hydrangeas on both ends, bunching bushy foliage plants in the middle and tucking in pockets of trailing ivy to spill over the front. When you like the look, sink in the plants and press soil firmly around them, leveling it off 1” from the top. The secret to magical window boxes is to cluster plants close together for a sense of abundance. You can transplant some later, if they overgrow the box.
• Water well and often – especially when the weather turns hot – either early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid sun-scorching tender leaves and petals. Do the knuckle test by sticking your finger about an inch deep in the soil. If your fingertip comes up dry, it’s time to water.
• Groom the box regularly, removing damaged leaves and petals to keep it looking its best. Hydrangeas are hardy, blooming spring, summer and fall in most climates to give you a showy three-season display.

Terrific Tip: Attach cork spacers behind your window boxes to let the air circulate and prevent mold growth.