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Easy, Beautiful Window Boxes for Sun

Dress Up a Dormer

Window boxes are the perfect way to make dormers look extra special. Create lots of season-long interest with a mix of profuse bloomers, such as this verbena, and unusual foliage, such as flowering kale and sedge. That way you can enjoy the beautiful leaves and their distinct textures if the flowers take a break.
A. Sedge (Carex siderosticha 'Variegata') -- 2
B. Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Osaka') -- 2
C. Verbena 'Tuscany Violet with Eye' -- 2
D. Coral bells (Heuchera 'Pewter Moon') -- 2

Go Bold with Foliage

You can't beat coleus for gorgeously colored foliage. This mix of super-saturated leaf colors will give you a great view out -- and give your home wonderful curb appeal -- all summer long. Tip: Coleus also grows well indoors; take cuttings of your favorite varieties before the end of the season and treat them like houseplants so you can enjoy them all year long.
A. Coleus (Solenostemon 'Stained Glassworks Copper') -- 1
B. Lantana 'Dallas Red' -- 1
C. Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax) -- 2
D. Coleus (Solenostemon 'True Red') -- 1
E. Coleus (Solenostemon 'Stained Glassworks Big Blond') -- 1
F. Licorice vine (Helichrysum petiolare) -- 1   

Pick Easy-Growing Plants

Create a "wow" look in your window boxes with double petunias. Their ruffled flowers create a lot more interest than their more traditional cousins. Enjoy their elegant blooms on the plant or snip a couple and float them in a glass of water for a wonderful little accent or summer centerpiece.
A. Petunia 'Ruffle Pink' -- 2
B. Verbena 'Aztec Raspberry' -- 3
C. Coleus (Solenostemon 'Frilly Milly') -- 1
D. Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas 'Marguerite') -- 2
E. Angelonia 'Angelface White' -- 1   

Add Drama to a Big Window

A big window needs a bold window box -- and here's a great example. This container has it all: tons of texture, depth, and dimension. It's a riot of color that'll help your home feel like it's worth a million bucks. And it's bold enough that it doesn't get overshadowed by the size of the window.
A. Bacopa (Sutera 'Bridal Bouquet') -- 4
B. Torenia 'Catalina Blue' -- 1
C. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Purple' -- 2
D. Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana) -- 1
E. Heliotrope (Heliotropium 'Marine') -- 2
F. Daisy (Felicia 'Read's White') -- 2
G. Licorice vine (Helichrysum petiolare) -- 1   

Keep It Full

Sweet potato vine is a no-fail trailer that's perfect for sun or shade. It's a quick grower that adds a lush, cascading look and softens the window box it grows from. There are a number of varieties, but the standout is this golden selection that looks great combined with practically everything.
A. Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas 'Margarita') -- 2
B. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum 'Floral Showers Rose Pink') -- 2
C. Browallia 'Blue Bell' -- 1
D. Pentas 'Graffiti Pink' -- 1
E. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum 'Floral Showers Apricot') -- 1   

Use White to Add Elegance

All-white window boxes are among the most elegant you can create. They're also some of the easiest -- since you don't need to worry about your color choices working with each other. After all, white looks good with everything -- especially itself.
A. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Orbit White') -- 1
B. Ivy (Hedera helix 'Glacier') -- 4
C. Bacopa (Sutera 'Snowstorm') -- 3
D. Impatiens 'Xtreme White' -- 2   

Another Take on White

Take an all-white theme to the next level with silvery foliage. From silvery licorice vine to the artemisia shown here, silver foliage adds something special to your planting. Bonus: Light colors such as silver and white show up best at night, and seem to glow at dusk so you can enjoy them longer into the night.
A. Artemisia 'Silver Broacade' -- 2
B. Baby's breath (Gypsophila elegans) -- 1
C. Daisy (Argyranthemum 'Madeira White') -- 2
D. Stock (Matthiola 'Harmony White') -- 3
E. Nicotiana (Nicotiana 'Saratoga White') -- 4
F. Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) -- 2   

Enjoy a Pastel Color Theme

Like a soft rain, delicate blue lobelia flows over the side of this window box. Many types of lobelia have a tendency to fade out during the hottest summer days, so pair them with another heat-loving blooming trailer such as cascading petunia or million bells (also called calibrachoa) to keep your display looking good all season long.
A. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Bullseye Light Pink') -- 2
B. Petunia 'Supertunia Bermuda Beach' -- 1
C. Lobelia 'Riviera Blue Eyes' -- 2   

Dress Up Your Deck

Take the idea of a window box and put it on your deck rails for a brilliant burst of color. For an outstanding all-put-together look, use the same plantings on your deck as you do beneath your windows. Your friends will love your creativity.
A. Petunia 'Surfinia Patio Hot Pink' -- 1
B. Salvia 'Victoria Blue' -- 1
C. Geranium (Pelargonium 'StarStruck Lavender Pink') -- 1
D. Mum (Chrysanthemum 'Brunswick') -- 2
E. Dracaena marginata -- 1
F. Vinca major 'Variegata' -- 1   

Deck Planting, Take Two

Here's another enchanting planting to decorate your deck or your home. Because pansy is a cool-season plant, you have the opportunity to give your window box a new look as the seasons change. Don't be afraid to swap it out and replace it with a heat-loving plant such as blue angelonia to keep the drama going into summer.
A. Pansy (Viola 'Delta Beaconsfield') -- 3
B. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum 'Fordhook Favorites') -- 1
C. Lobelia 'Riviera Midnight Blue' -- 1
D. Dracaena marginata -- 1
   

Select Fun Foliage

We've always thought grasses have a fun, festive look -- and love to use them to create extra-special plantings. Here, grassy-looking flax lily's shape and zinnia's starry white flowers create the look of fireworks to give you a top-of-the-class container combo.
A. Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas 'Margarita') -- 2
B. Flax lily (Dianella tasmanica 'Variegata') -- 3
C. Zinnia haageana 'Star White' -- 3
D. Salvia guarantica 'Black and Blue' -- 2
E. New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens 'Sonic Sweet Purple') -- 3   

Look to Your Home for Inspiration

Set your window boxes apart by tying in elements of your home's architectural details. Here, for example, the window box blends seamlessly with shutters, while the salmon-shaded geranium blooms play in with the buff colors of the flagstone wall.
A. Asparagus fern (Asparagus sprengeri) -- 2
B. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Fantasia Pink Shell') -- 3
C. Fuchsia 'Angel Earrings Cascading' -- 3
D. Torenia 'Catalina Blue' -- 2
E. Salvia 'Salsa Burgundy' -- 1   

Try It on a Trellis

Trellises are a great way to give your deck, patio, or yard a little privacy. If you're not able to grow vines on your trellising, try creating a colorful display with a light window box. This moss-lined basket is filled with colorful plants that, when placed strategically, give you a double dose of screening.
A. Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas 'Margarita') -- 1
B. Impatiens 'Fiesta Rose' -- 2
C. Marigold (Tagetes 'Durango Yellow') -- 1
D. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Designer Cherry') -- 1
E. New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens 'Sonic Cherry') -- 1
F. Wax begonia (Begonia 'Prelude Scarlet') -- 1
G. Viola 'Sorbet Plum Velvet' -- 1   

Enjoy a Harvest

What could be better than reaching out to your window box and grabbing a handful of edible flowers, herbs, or vegetables for supper? Try edibles with ornamental appeal for two times the pleasure. Tip: Look for dwarf varieties, such as determinate tomatoes, so your plantings don't grow out of control.
A. Pansy (Viola 'Matrix' series) -- 3
B. Scented geranium (Pelargonium 'Rober's Lemon Rose') -- 1
C. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum 'Alaska') -- 2
D. Everbearing strawberry (Fragaria 'Ozark Beauty') -- 3
E. Bell pepper (Capsicum 'Purple Belle') -- 1
F. Johnny jump up (Viola tricolor) -- 3   

Choose Classics

Petunias and geraniums are no-fail choices for hot, sunny spots -- so fill your window boxes with their colorful blooms and know you can enjoy their display of nonstop flowers all summer long. Tip: Pay attention to the variety; many newer petunias and geraniums bloom more and with less care than older selections.
A. Ivy (Hedera helix 'Eva') -- 2
B. Petunia 'Surfinia Patio Hot Pink' -- 1
C. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Orbit White') -- 2   

Add Color to a White Wall

An all-white wall may seem like it needs an explosion of color to dress it up, but you can create an equally impressive display by going with soft, subtle shades. Petunias and geraniums are the perfect choice for adding color either way -- let your personality be your guide.
A. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Orbit Pink') -- 3
B. Swan River daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia 'Lemon Mist') -- 3
C. Petunia Surfinia Patio White -- 2   

Mix Foliage Tones

Be bold: Experiment with fun new plants for a flashy display of color and interest. We love how this window box has mixed time-tested flowering favorites like verbena and calibrachoa with more unusual selections featuring beautiful foliage.
A. Verbena 'Peaches and Cream' -- 4
B. Calibrachoa 'Terra Cotta' -- 2
C. Flowering maple (Abutilon thompsonii 'Pictum') -- 1
D. Flowering maple (Abutilon 'Bella Deep Coral') -- 1
E. Geranium (Pelargonium 'Occold Shield') -- 1
F. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) -- 1   

Embrace Country Style

If you love country style, you can't beat the simplicity of a rustic window box filled with a few lush plants. Here, for example, purple verbena and gold licorice plant make a striking contrast against the peeling red paint on the walls. Tip: Other ways to create the country look are to pick plants with a loose, open habit and use old-fashioned or recycled containers.
A. Vinca major 'Wojo's Gem' -- 2
B. Verbena 'Aztec Purple Magic' -- 3
C. Calibrachoa 'Cabaret Rose' -- 1
D. Licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight') -- 2   

Make a Mock Window

Be playful with window boxes and enjoy them even if you don't have a window. This weathered box made of planking goes vertical with a vintage window frame attached to the back. The window frame is a perfect trellis for a tropical mandevilla. Bonus: Attach this to a fence and insert a mirror behind the window frame for even more appeal and the illusion of more space.
A. Mandevilla 'Alice du Pont' -- 1
B. Aster alpinus 'Beechwood' -- 3
C. Aster alpinus 'Dunkle Schone' -- 3   

Lighten a Dark Wall

Make your home sing -- even if has dark or faded shutters and siding like this one -- with a colorful window box. This one does double duty thanks to a scented geranium; its soft scent is a great incentive to open the window and enjoy some fresh air. Tip: Other plants that offer great scents include heliotrope, lavender, rosemary, and sweet alyssum.
A. Wax begonia (Begonia 'Bada Boom Pink') -- 2
B. Verbena 'Tapien Plum Frost' -- 2
C. Ivy (Hedera helix 'Eva') -- 2
D. Scented geranium (Pelargonium 'Lady Plymouth') -- 1
E: Thyme (Thymus 'Argenteus') -- 2    http://www.bhg.com/gardening/container/plans-ideas/plant-combinations-for-sunny-spot-window-boxes/

Window Planters to Complement Your Home

Window Planters and Flower Planters

At all times window planters and other containers should be chosen to marry up with the building on which they are displayed. Perhaps the best window planters, like the best cut flower containers, are unobtrusively in keeping with the plants and the surroundings. A mock 18th century lead box (glass fibre copy) embossed with sporting wood nymphs or something similar, would look out of place on a modern glass and concrete building, but plain shapes, even plastic ones, in quiet colours fit in anywhere.
In some instances, however, buildings with a strong character of their own are made even more interesting by an off-beat choice of window box. I know an angler who has wickerwork fishing baskets spilling flowers along the window sills of his old cottage by a river, and in a cathedral city I noticed a flower planter faced with pottery tiles depicting English cathedrals. The tiles were designed in donkey brown on white, and the woodwork of the house was a matching gentle shade of chocolate. The box itself was bright with marigolds and the effect was memorable.
In a small country town I saw a window planter gaily painted in blue with a white heart design, and nearby a planted box hanging by the side of the door had the house number painted on it — practical as well as unusual. The number itself, by the way, was fashioned from thick cord tacked into position and then painted. A house named Pen Cottage had a deep window planter decorated with a metal replica of a quill pen.
They say every house and garden should have at least one memorable feature, and even if you have no garden a window box could be such a feature. Happily there is the very widest possible choice of containers about nowadays. You can take your pick from every shape and size, wood or plastic, plain or fancy, real antique or mock. Certainly there is something available to suit every style of home, from modern flat to country cottage. Whatever the depth of our purse, however, the first consideration must be the size — and especially the depth — of the window box.
A deep box will always be more practicable than a shallow one, which has too little room for the roots of most plants and also quickly dries out. Even if we plan to use the box simply as a means of holding a row of plants in pots the effect is less attractive if the pots all stick up above the rim. The old adage ‘Buy the best you can afford’ does not necessarily apply, for the most expensive may be totally out of keeping with the property. Wooden window planters may be fairly easily made by the average handyman and can be painted or stained. Here more expenditure will certainly result in a better job, for the better the wood the better the box will be. Hardwood or cedar is obviously better than old orange boxes!
Don’t use creosote on a window box – plants do not care for it. Instead use a proprietary wood preservative, with two coats worked well into the joints. If they take your fancy, you can decorate the front of a window box by making your own decorations with such pretty and interesting things as seashells, horse shoes, or coloured glass.
Expanded polystyrene troughs or boxes make a wonderfully comfortable home for plants. Unfortunately I have not seen these in full-scale window box sizes recently, though I have some which are about ten years old. I paint them every year to keep them spick and span. These polystyrene boxes are always warm to the touch. even on cold days. Many electrical goods and other household items are packed nowadays in moulded boxes of polystyrene to protect them during transit. Shops will often give you these moulded shapes to save throwing them away and over the years I have collected many and used them as plant boxes or seed boxes. Some are in unusual shapes, some have recessed circles or squares which make a decoration, and when painted they look like expensive sculptured creations. Ordinary gloss or emulsion paints can be used to colour them. A fault with polystyrene – possibly why it is not apparently used for big window planters any more – is that it is brittle and needs careful handling. Any plant container in this material should be placed in position before being filled with compost. It is easy to bore holes through the back or sides for wires or cords which can be secured to hooks in the window frame to keep the box in position.
Wooden window planters are traditional cottage tare with a decoration of tree bark. Nowadays we can buy pieces of interestingly-textured cork bark sold by florists for flower arrangers’ use. It is rubbery and seems almost indestructible. I like, too, the white picket fence effect sometimes seen on window planters in the countryside.
And how about this for a really great idea? – On holiday in Devon I saw a rowing boat secured, upright, to a wall, with the seats supporting pots of scarlet geraniums!
Window planters could, of course, be suitably shaped baskets, fitted with some kind of lining to hold the compost and prevent its dampness rotting the wickerwork. I have managed to keep some of my baskets for ten years by lining them with polythene and spray painting them both -side and outside. Flowers and plants do however always have a look of the country when seen against the texture and quiet colour of a basket left in its natural colour, undoubtedly giving distinction and originality to any window. Plastic baskets sold for various household purposes are often suitably shaped to become practical ‘window planters’. Baskets of all kinds are easily kept safely in place by passing a length of wire through the weave and securing the ends to ring eyelets screwed into the wooden window sill or frame.
Going to the other extreme, you can spend a lot of money on genuine old lead window planters which can sometimes be bought at country house sales or from antique dealers. Unless well secured they could tempt thieves to lift them from your wall, but less easy to steal are antique or modern terracotta, concrete, stone (or mock stone) troughs, sinks, urns, and so on, which are particularly suitable for old houses with deep windows and strong ledges. They look equally handsome standing free on the ground outside a large window, where their shape is seen to advantage.
The antique look can be obtained more cheaply with the very attractive glass fibre, aluminium, cast iron, etc., boxes now available. They are often moulded replicas of very old patterns, though recently I have noticed some less heavily decorated ones in the shops. Glass fibre is very strong, light, and weather-resistant and these boxes should last for years with the minimum of attention.
With any mock antique box it is a good idea to go for a really old appearance. I rub mine all over with clods of really wet earth. Lightly brush off the earth; some will remain in the cracks, crevices, or rough surface texture and help to give a patina of age. Placed in a shady spot, the box will acquire its own moss or lichen.
Useful self-watering planters can be bought nowadays. Made of plastic, they employ various methods to keep the plants watered automatically for as long as three or four weeks. Apart from helping the forgetful, these planters can also be a protection against the fault of over-watering, as they are designed to control the amount of water the plants receive. Although meant primarily for indoor plants, I see no reason why they should: – be used for window planters, and possibly principle will be extended to bigger boxes.
Turning again to ideas from the past. I have seen old-fashioned iron fire grates and hearth curbs fitted to window sills, painted, and thus making attractive settings for a display of plants. If you don’t have anything like this in the attic. a blacksmith would make you something similar —perhaps a simple plain iron band to fix above the sill and in front of a box or a row of pots. Again. a blacksmith would make decorative iron brackets to hold up a heavy window box, in place of the ordinary shop-bought kind which are usually practical rather than specially good to look at.  http://www.gardeninginfozone.com/window-planters-to-complement-your-home

Planting a Window Box

What You Will Need Window box, assembled and attached to the house Pottery chards, small flat stones, or medium sized gravel Sterile Potting Soil with perlite and peat Compost Watering Can Plants Instructions Once you have attached the window box planter to your house or apartment, you are ready to begin. 1. First, decide which plants will be planted where by arranging them on the lawn or driveway in a rough approximation of a planting plan in either two or three rows. Flowers that are to be planted at the back of the window box would be placed on the top row, flowers in the foreground would be located on the bottom row, and so on. Trailing vines should be planted at the front edges, taller flowers in the back, and plants with lots of flowers and leaves can be interspersed throughout. 2. Place the chards, stones, or gravel in the bottom of the planter to assist with drainage. 3. Fill half of the window box with potting soil. Add a few inches of compost and mix well using a trowel or your hands. Add a bit of water if the soil is very dry. 4. Plant each flower or foliage plant one at a time, and about 2 to 5 inches on center. Add more soil as needed to surround the plant roots. Periodically tamp or compress the soil gently to remove air pockets. Add more soil as needed until the level is approximately one inch below the top of the window box. 5. Water thoroughly. What Kinds of Flowers Should I Plant? Unless you are planting a specific type of garden for your own use or pleasure (see Creative Ideas for Window Box Planters), it's best to use bold, colorful flowers and foliage plants because of the visual impact they have. Learn more about color combinations for flowers. Suggested flowers for window boxes: Flowers Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) Pansies Petunias Marigolds Snapdragons Impatiens Begonias Ornamental Onion (Allium spp.) Nasturtiums Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta 'Goldilocks' Foliage Ivy (Hedera spp.) Myrtle or Periwinkle (Vinca spp.)

 http://www.marigoldlane.com/garden/plantwindowbox.html

Creative Ideas for Window Box Planters

Window box planters make a charming addition to your home or apartment and are an easy way to add a splash of color or greenery. Window boxes are perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a garden, but is too busy to take care of one.

Most people think of planting flowers in window boxes, but there are several other alternatives. It’s just a matter of choosing something that is right for you. If you like to cook, think about planting herbs or baby vegetables. If your hobby is making sachets or herbal extracts, plant fragrant or medicinal herbs and flowers.
Choose a theme for your window box garden. Perhaps you dream about visiting the Swiss Alps or love the beauty of the desert. Consider replicating these habitats in your window box. With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless.
Cook’s Garden
Herbs grow best in partial or full sun. Plant your miniature garden with the herbs you frequently cook with such as thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, tarragon, or chives.
Fragrant Garden
Options for fragrant herbs include lavender, peppermint, rosemary, lemon balm, artemisia (also known as wormwood), lemon verbena, or pineapple sage. Again, most herbs thrive best in partial or full sun.
Medicinal Garden
Plants known for their medicinal properties include aloe vera, calendula, sage, comfrey, yarrow, sweet woodruff, chamomile, or peppermint and grow best in partial or full sun.
Vegetable Garden
Many vegetables are available in diminutive forms. Try planting baby carrots, baby beets, pearl onions, baby lettuce, or baby teardrop tomatoes. A window box in full sun is best for growing vegetables.
Alpine Garden
Most alpine flowers bloom in shades of pink, purple or white and require partial or full sun. Primrose, creeping phlox, candytuft, pinks, bellflower, or a trailing variety of baby’s breath are all possibilities for your miniature alpine garden.
You can also plant crocus, snowdrops, scilla, or grape hyacinth bulbs in the fall for spring blooms the following year.
Succulent Desert Garden
Succulent plants do best in full sun. Hens and chicks, sedums, kalanchoe, aloe vera, and small cacti are excellent choices for this type of window box garden.  http://www.marigoldlane.com/garden/windowbox.html

GERANIUMS

Zonal geraniums were popularized during Victorian times and became the most popular of all window-box flowers. A heat loving summer bloomer, these and the dangling ivy forms are your best bet for instant color that holds in a heat wave.   http://www.moplants.com/blog/?p=125

Sitting on the Fenster

The Bavarian window-box is a fine institution. Flowers gush from it, fecund and exuberant. In our hightly ordered culture, this amounts to gay abandon.
Like most altbau buildings, ours has window-boxes. Our landlord, Roman, maintained them in the traditional style. As spring approached, Master Right negotiated to take them over, since he loves gardening.
Master Right, as you recall, is Japanese. He takes a slightly different view of gay abandon.
The Japanese drone on, in haiku after haiku, about how much they love nature. This is bullshit. They like the idea of nature, but when confronted with it, find the whole thing too reckless, unpredictable and icky. I mean, have you seen what they do to trees?
So, our flower-boxes now look like this.
I ran into Roman the other day. "Did your...um, friend make the flowers", he asked?
"If you mean my husband, yes, he did."
"You can tell. It's not very Bavarian." Roman paused for a moment, searching for the right word. "It's ikebana."   http://deutschlanduberelvis.com/blog/japan/

Fall Window Boxes

Simple window box

They're beautiful, they're affordable, and they're low-maintenance; nothing says fast and easy fall gardening like a fully fitted window box. These easy-to-assemble mini gardens also have the advantage of short-term commitment. Planting this fabulous full-sun arrangement is as easy as putting together simple flowers for a dinner party.
TIP: Think of a window box as you would a centerpiece. Start with a focal point, and move out from there.
Get the Look
Fall-blooming aster
Variegated ivy
Ornamental cabbage or kale
Fountain grass
Sweet flag
Gourds and pumpkins     

Elegant Window Box

We love the luxe, posh look of this full-sun box with its classic pairing of mums and ornamental cabbages. Keeping it from veering into cliche territory are the unusual cascading mums. To get the look, pack a window box with deep smoky purple ornamental cabbages and sparkling white ornamental kales, then intersperse them with rich magenta pompom chrysanthemums trained into a graceful cascade. Ice-tipped trailing ivy adds shimmer in the late afternoon light.
Get the Look
Ornamental cabbage and kale
Variegated ivy
Cascading mums        

Tropical Window Box

Who says fall has to be all about brown, orange, and yellow? Adorn your cottage with deep purple, warm red, and bright pink for a hot, vibrant look from the last of summer's tropical plants as temperatures cool. These tropical foliage plants (grown as annuals) take bright, indirect light to filtered shade and look smashing right up until frost.
TIP: Throw in elephant ears or fuchsia for a pleasing surprise.
Get the Look
Heliotrope
Fuchsia
Coleus
Big-eared taro or Elephant ear
Persian shield
Vinca
Purple heart         

Cheerful Window Box

Bright and lively colors combine to add a hint of happiness to any home in this cheery window box. Forget serious planning and strict styling, and opt for whatever plants bring a smile to your face when you go shopping. These plants prefer strong indirect light or light shade.
TIP: Your window box design should look good from all sides, since it's on view from indoors as well as out. Scatter flowering plants throughout the box, alternating plantings by height and color as you go.     

Modern Window Box

Gleaming white 'Lumina' (large) and 'Snowball' (small) pumpkins spiked with shiny tufts of black-as-night mondo grass is a simple full shade combination that's all-hallows spooky but oh-so chic. In and around, we tucked fat clusters of blood-orange berries, which drip from branches of bittersweet vine (sold in bunches at florists). You can up the spook factor by hiding strands of mini lights between pumpkins.
TIP: Simple is often better. Remembering that is key to this noteworthy arrangement.
Get the Look
Black mondo grass
Small white pumpkins
Large white pumpkins
Bittersweet (cut branches)       

Playful Window Box

Tricked out for the season in combustible colors and riffed with references of a late-autumn harvest, this exuberant full-sun window box celebrates all that we love about fall-like the vivid colors and leafy textures. While it may require some boldness and a passion for abundance to pull off a planting like this, it was actually very easy-we found all the plants and supplies at our local home-improvement store's garden center. (By the way, this one really got the neighbors talking.)
Get the Look
Purple fountain grass
Variegated Japanese sedge
Florist mums
Small white pumpkins Ornamental peppers      http://www.myhomeideas.com/outdoor-living/gardening/fall-window-boxes-10000001098256/
  

How-To: Hanging a Window Box

For all of you small-space gardeners out there, window boxes are a great way to maximize growing space. Find out how to hang one with this how-to, from the experts at This Old House. If you have basic carpentry skills (and know how to operate a level and a power drill) then you can decorate your house with gorgeous, flower-filled window boxes.

• Depending on the type of windows your home has, you'll have to hang your window box at different heights. For a house with double-hung or sliding windows, measure down one inch from the bottom of the sill. Make a pencil mark. For a window that swings out, measure down 6 to 8 inches.
• Now you're going to install the top screw on the bracket. To do so, hold the first bracket with its top on the pencil mark. Mark the bracket for the top screw hole. It should hit close to the first section of siding below the window.
• Next, use a countersink bit to drill a pilot hole and counterbore into the bracket on your pencil mark. Fasten the bracket to the house with a 3-inch-long galvanized decking screw through the pilot hole.

For the rest of the directions, just read more.

Make sure that the bracket is level then install the second screw. Then check again that it's level. Bore a pilot hole and counterbore for the second screw through the bracket just above the horizontal leg, where it will be hidden by the window box. Then drive another 3-inch screw through the bracket.

Next, install the second bracket. Use the same technique as for the first bracket. Be careful though! You'll want to use your level to make sure that the second bracket is at the correct height.

Next, you'll want to make sure that the window box is centered. Do so by placing the window box on top of the brackets with the angled side of the box facing out.

After you've measured to ensure that it's centered, fasten the window box to the brackets. Drill and counterbore pilot holes into the upper rear edge of the box, directly in front of each bracket. Then drill a 2-1/2-inch-long galvanized decking screw through the box and into the upper end of each bracket.

Congratulations! You're done! Now fill the box with potting soil, and plant with gorgeous flowers, vining plants, and herbs.

  http://www.casasugar.com/How--Hanging-Window-Box-1535318

Winter Window Box

Bulk up your planters with this cold-hardy combo. Then, give the look a festive spin in minutes.
It's finally cold, and now containers that were filled with voluminous summer flowers appear vacant. But winter is equally stellar when you know what to plant. Adapt these tips to your containers for a great look that's easy to accomplish.
From Tall to Short
You've heard this before: Begin with a focal point, the one element that draws attention. In our window box, a tall pyramid-shaped boxwood serves as the anchor plant. To each side, a small, round boxwood repeats the texture and fills the container with substantial foliage.
Between the shrubs, paperwhites bring additional height and texture to the back of the box. Purchase them as loose bulbs or already growing. A 6-inch pot of paperwhites can be separated into several clumps and placed on each side of the pyramid-shaped boxwood.
Fill the front of the box with color and texture. Center green-and-white flowering cabbages (in 4-inch pots) in front of the tall boxwood to emphasize the focal point. Silvery dusty miller and white violas continue the color scheme, while two (6-inch) pots of variegated ivy trail over the front.
The Power of Color
Let the house and trim palette dictate the shades in your window box. Deep green shrubs act as a neutral backdrop. Flowers and vibrant foliage make the mix interesting, whether casual or formal. Sticking to a white-and-silver scheme, as we have here, creates a dressy appearance. For the holidays, adding red nandina berries delivers extra punch with little effort. Center the clusters below the focal point for the most dynamic effect.
Care
Cold weather dehydrates plants and soil. Water window boxes when they begin to dry, especially before a hard freeze. Check the moisture level weekly, and remember: If your box is sheltered by an eave, rain may not reach it.    http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/winter-window-box-00400000009313/

window boxes

 

A few of the many things that I dream about when owning our first home are window boxes. I'd put them in every window if I could-something about waking up to flowers right outside of the bedroom window, or a kitchen window box filled with fresh herbs. A glossy black box filled with green plants hanging down the sides-a daisy filled box painted white...



Oh, and check out this pretty little window box-love, true love.
~top picture from freefoto.com, second picture from hooksandlattice.com, last two pics from marthastewart.com.   http://sydandgoose.typepad.com/syd_and_goose/2007/04/window_boxes.html

Window Boxes

2010
Flowers and plants can make a house look and feel cooler. A little bit of green makes it look and feel more serene. There are some who like plants and flowers and add them to their surroundings. They have their own garden and sometimes they even add window flower boxes to every window in the house. The plants add more oxygen to their surroundings. It also adds beauty and color especially if they also have flowers.
Some houses have their own garden. The garden can be lined up with some garden window boxes where special flowers are put. The window boxes can be used to separate the different flowers in the garden or group them to make them look more presentable. Those who live in apartments or those who don’t have space for their own garden can have window plant boxes on their kitchen window or their bedroom window. The flowers can add beauty to the room and make it feel more alive aside from making the air cooler. It does not only add beauty in the room but also outside of it where it is placed.   http://www.warpedeco.com/tag/window-flower-boxes/