Are you looking to add a splash of nature to your urban dwelling or brighten your window views? Window box gardening is a delightful way to bring greenery and color to any space, no matter how small. Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or a budding gardener, selecting the right plants for your window boxes is a delightful puzzle to piece together.
In this guide, we will help you navigate the world of window box planting, offering practical tips and inspiring ideas for every type of environment. We will cover everything from selecting the right plants that thrive in your specific light conditions to understanding how to care for them throughout the seasons.
26 Best Plants To Add To Your Window Box
For Sunny Windows
Petunias
Petunias are stellar window box flowers, particularly for those seeking a vibrant and long-lasting floral display. Flourishing in sunny conditions, these versatile flowers present a vibrant spectrum of colors, ranging from deep purples and reds to soft pinks and whites. Their lush, cascading growth habit makes them ideal for creating a dramatic spill-over effect in window boxes.
Petunias are also renowned for their robust nature, capable of withstanding varied weather conditions while maintaining a continual bloom from spring through fall. Regular deadheading will encourage more blooms, ensuring your window boxes remain a focal point of beauty throughout the season.
Geraniums
Geraniums stand out as a popular and resilient option for window box flowers, cherished for their vibrant and cheerful blossoms, as well as their ease of maintenance. Excelling in sunny to partly shaded locations or a north-facing window, geraniums offer a wide range of colors, including red, pink, white, and salmon. Their distinct, rounded clusters of flowers add a classic touch to window displays.
Beyond their visual appeal, geraniums are drought-tolerant and relatively low-maintenance, making them ideal for busy gardeners. Consistent deadheading helps maintain a continuous display of flowers. Their resilience and long blooming season, from spring until frost, make geraniums a reliable and attractive choice for enhancing window box gardens.
Marigolds
Marigolds are an excellent addition to window boxes, offering a vibrant splash of color with minimal upkeep. These hardy flowers bloom in rich shades of orange, yellow, and gold, bringing a warm, sunny feel to any window display.
Marigolds are especially favored for their ability to thrive in full sun and withstand hot conditions, making them a practical choice for summer gardening. They also have a reputation for deterring pests, which can benefit window box environments. With their easy-to-grow nature and continuous blooming throughout the season, marigolds are a hassle-free option for adding long-lasting beauty to your window boxes.
Dusty miller
Dusty Miller is a striking choice for window boxes, prized for its silvery-gray foliage that adds a touch of elegance to any display. Its velvety leaves serve as an attractive backdrop, allowing other colorful blooms to pop against the muted tones.
Dusty Miller is exceptionally resilient, thriving in full sun to partial shade and requiring minimal water once established. Its compact growth habit and ability to tolerate various conditions make it an excellent filler plant in window boxes, adding texture and contrast. The unique and sophisticated appearance of Dusty Miller makes it a favored choice for gardeners looking to elevate the visual appeal of their window displays.
Portulaca
Portulaca is a great window box idea to give your window frame a splash of color. With its vivid and colorful blooms, portulaca is an excellent choice for gorgeous window boxes in sunny locations. This low-growing, succulent plant, also known as moss rose, displays a stunning array of flowers in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white.
Portulaca thrives in hot, dry conditions, making it a perfect option for areas with intense summer heat. Its drought-resistant nature ensures it remains a fuss-free addition to any window box. The plant's trailing habit contributes to a lush, overflowing look, creating a vibrant tapestry of color that enhances the aesthetic appeal of windows and balconies throughout the blooming season.
Sweet Potato Vine
If you are seeking trailing plants to add to your window planter, then you must check out sweet potato vine. Sweet potato vine is a vibrant and fast-growing addition to window boxes, known for its cascading tendrils and heart-shaped leaves. Available in shades of deep purple, lime green, and variegated patterns, this ornamental vine adds a dramatic splash of color and texture. It thrives in various lighting conditions and is adaptable to sunny and partially shaded environments.
Sweet potato vine's vigorous growth habit makes it excellent for filling spaces quickly, creating a lush, overflowing look. While primarily grown for its decorative foliage, the vine produces underground tubers like sweet potatoes. It's easy maintenance and visually striking appearance contribute to its popularity as a choice for enhancing the aesthetic of window box displays.
Creeping jenny
Creeping Jenny is an exceptional choice for window boxes, celebrated for its vibrant foliage and trailing habit. With its small, round leaves, this perennial ground cover cascades elegantly over the edges, creating a striking visual effect. Its bright, chartreuse, or golden-green color adds a vivid contrast when paired with other plants.
Creeping Jenny thrives in both full sun and partial shade, showcasing its versatility for various lighting conditions. It’s also known for its adaptability and low-maintenance care, requiring regular watering and occasional trimming to maintain its lush appearance. This plant’s ability to spill gracefully over the sides makes it a popular and eye-catching addition to window box arrangements.
For Shaded Windows
Impatiens
Impatiens are a top choice for adding a burst of color to shaded window boxes. These colorful flowers bloom profusely, even in low light conditions, making them ideal for areas with limited direct sunlight. Available in a kaleidoscope of colors, including pink, red, white, orange, and purple, impatiens create a dense, vibrant display. Their ability to thrive in cooler, shaded environments and their low-maintenance nature makes them a popular option for busy gardeners.
Impatiens' continuous blooming throughout the growing season ensures a consistent and lush floral presence, brightening up any window box with its cheerful demeanor.
Fuchsia
Fuchsia are distinguished flowers for window boxes, particularly in shaded or semi-shaded locations. Known for their exquisite, pendant-like flowers, fuchsias come in various colors, often showcasing a captivating blend of pink, purple, and white. These plants add an elegant and exotic touch to any window box, with their unique blooms creating a visually striking display.
Fuchsias prefer cooler temperatures and thrive away from the intense midday sun, making them ideal for north-facing or sheltered windows. Their moderate water needs and continuous flowering throughout the summer make them both a practical and enchanting addition to window box gardens.
Begonias
Begonias are a versatile and attractive choice for window boxes, especially in areas with partial shade. These plants offer a rich diversity in both foliage and flowers, with varieties showcasing vibrant blooms in pink, red, orange, and white or eye-catching leaves with unique patterns and colors.
Begonias are valued for their ability to bloom continuously throughout the summer, providing a long-lasting display of color. They are relatively easy to care for, requiring moderate watering and protection from harsh sunlight. Their adaptability to various light conditions and the visual interest they bring make begonias a popular and rewarding selection for enhancing window box gardens.
Coleus
Coleus is an exceptional addition to window boxes, renowned not for its flowers but for its vibrant and varied foliage. Thriving in both sun and shade, Coleus offers a spectacular array of leaf colors and patterns, ranging from deep burgundy and bright green to bold splashes of yellow, pink, and red. This adaptability makes it well-suited for a variety of lighting conditions.
Coleus plants bring a lush, tropical feel to window displays, and their dramatic foliage provides continuous visual interest throughout the growing season. Easy to care for, they are a fantastic choice for adding a splash of enduring color to any window box arrangement.
Lobelia
Lobelia is an excellent choice for adding delicate texture and vibrant color to window boxes. This charming plant is known for its profusion of small, jewel-toned flowers, typically in deep blue, violet, white, and pink shades. Lobelia thrives in cooler temperatures and performs at its best when exposed to partial to full sun. Its cascading growth habit makes it particularly appealing for window boxes, creating a waterfall-like effect of floral abundance.
Additionally, Lobelia is relatively low-maintenance, requiring regular watering and occasional trimming to encourage continued blooming. Its dainty blooms offer a continuous display of color from late spring through the first frost, making it a visually striking addition to any window box garden.
For Season-Long Color
Pansies
Pansies are a delightful choice for window boxes, known for their charming, expressive faces and a wide range of vibrant colors. These hardy flowers excel in cooler weather, making them perfect for early spring and fall displays. Pansies exhibit resilience in both sunny and partially shaded environments, providing flexibility in terms of placement. Their robust nature enables them to withstand cooler temperatures better than many other plants.
With proper care, which includes regular watering and deadheading, pansies will bloom profusely, offering a continuous splash of color. And with a wide range of colors, they're perfect for spring and fall. Their cheerful presence and low maintenance needs make pansies a favorite for adding a burst of life to window boxes in varying climates.
Snapdragons
Snapdragons are a striking addition to window boxes, offering a unique blend of height, texture, and vibrant color. Renowned for their tall, spiky blooms resembling a dragon's mouth, these flowers are available in various colors, such as pink, red, yellow, and white.
Thriving in cooler temperatures, snapdragons are ideal for spring and fall planting. Thriving in full sun to partial shade, they introduce a dramatic vertical element to window box arrangements. Regular deadheading encourages more blooms, extending their display. Snapdragons' distinctive appearance and resilience make them a captivating and enduring choice for gardeners looking to add depth and a touch of whimsy to their window box gardens.
Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa, often called "mini petunia," is a superb choice for window boxes due to its prolific flowering and cascading growth habit. These small but vibrant flowers closely resemble petunias and come in various colors, including pinks, purples, yellows, and reds.
Calibrachoa thrives in full sun to part shade and blooms from spring until the first frost, offering a long-lasting display. It's especially valued for its low maintenance needs and ability to fill out window boxes with a lush, overflowing look. Their continuous blooming and ease of care make Calibrachoa a popular and visually appealing choice for enhancing the beauty of window displays.
Alyssum
Alyssum is a delightful addition to window boxes, renowned for its sweet fragrance and delicate carpet of blooms. This low-growing plant produces tiny flowers in shades of white, pink, and purple, creating a soft, full appearance.
Alyssum is highly favored for its ability to fill spaces quickly with a lush, continuous bloom from spring to fall. Once established, it flourishes in full sun to partial shade and demonstrates a degree of tolerance to drought. Its cascading habit makes it ideal for spilling over the edges of window boxes, adding depth and dimension. The charming simplicity and sweet scent of Alyssum make it a favorite for creating an inviting and aromatic window garden.
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are a vibrant and versatile addition to window boxes, offering both visual appeal and culinary delight. These hardy plants boast bright, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of red, orange, and yellow, set against a backdrop of lush green foliage. Nasturtiums are known for their ease of growth and ability to thrive in less fertile soils, making them a low-maintenance choice for window box enthusiasts. Their trailing vines create a stunning cascade effect, adding depth and texture.
In addition to their beauty, the flowers and leaves of nasturtiums are edible, offering a peppery flavor that adds a unique twist to salads. Nasturtiums' dual role as an ornamental and edible plant makes them particularly rewarding for window box gardening.
For Drought Resistance
Succulents
Image Source: Flickr
Incorporating succulents into window boxes is an excellent choice for those seeking a low-maintenance and drought-tolerant plant yet stylish garden display. These drought-tolerant plants come in various intriguing shapes, sizes, and colors, adding architectural interest and varied textures.
Succulents are particularly suited for sunny locations and thrive in well-drained soil, making them ideal for busy gardeners or those in warmer climates. Their resilience to less frequent watering and ability to withstand direct sunlight make them a fuss-free option. From Echeveria's rosettes to Sedum's trailing tendrils, succulents offer a modern and minimalist aesthetic, transforming window boxes into living art installations.
Lavender
Adding either English lavender or Spanish lavender to window boxes brings visual charm and a sensory delight. Renowned for its soothing fragrance and stunning purple blooms, lavender is an excellent choice for sunny spots. This hardy herb flourishes in well-drained soil and full sun, making it well-suited for areas with abundant sunlight.
Lavender's drought-tolerant nature ensures it demands minimal watering, making it an ideal choice for gardeners seeking low-maintenance options. The plant’s elongated stems and delicate flowers add height and texture to window box arrangements. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, lavender's scent is known for its calming properties, making your window box a source of both beauty and relaxation.
Sedum
Incorporating Sedum into window boxes is an excellent choice for those seeking hardy and visually appealing foliage. Known for its drought tolerance, Sedum is a succulent that offers a variety of textures and colors, ranging from deep greens to vibrant reds. Its ability to thrive in full sun with minimal water makes it a practical option for low-maintenance gardening.
Sedum's unique appearance, with fleshy leaves and sometimes star-shaped flowers, adds an intriguing element to window box displays. Whether used as a filler or a standalone feature, Sedum provides a resilient and attractive addition to any window garden, ensuring a lush and striking display throughout the seasons.
For Fall and Winter
Ornamental Kale and Cabbage
Ornamental kale and cabbage are splendid choices for adding a unique and vibrant touch to window boxes, especially in cooler seasons. These plants offer a striking visual contrast with their bold rosettes of curly or ruffled leaves in purple, pink, green, and white shades. Thriving in cooler weather, they are perfect for adding color and texture to window boxes during the fall and winter.
Ornamental kale and cabbage are eye-catching and low-maintenance, requiring minimal care while providing long-lasting visual interest. Their robust nature and resistance to colder temperatures make them practical and aesthetically pleasing for seasonal window box displays.
Heuchera
Heuchera, also known as Coral Bells, is a stunning addition to window boxes, celebrated for its vibrant foliage rather than flowers. Heuchera adds a splash of year-round color, available in a myriad of colors, from deep purples and fiery reds to lime greens and silvers. Thriving in various lighting conditions, from full sun to partial shade, Heuchera is versatile for different window orientations.
Heuchera's rounded, mounded habit makes it an excellent filler or border plant in window box arrangements. Its ease of care and ability to withstand different climates make it a favored choice for gardeners looking to add lasting visual interest to their window displays.
Evergreens
Incorporating evergreens into window boxes is a smart choice for those seeking year-round greenery and structure. These hardy plants maintain their lush appearance throughout the seasons, offering a constant backdrop of foliage against which seasonal blooms can shine. Varieties like miniature conifers or boxwoods provide texture and height, creating an attractive visual framework for the window box.
Evergreens are particularly valuable when other plants have died back in winter, ensuring your window boxes remain vibrant and appealing all year. Their resilience to varying weather conditions and low maintenance requirements make evergreens an enduring and practical addition to any window box garden.
Edible Plants Options
Herbs
Incorporating herbs into window boxes is not just visually appealing but also practical. Herbs like basil, thyme, parsley, and chives bring a lush, green look and aromatic fragrance to window displays. Perfect for a kitchen window, so you can grab a handful of fresh herbs to add to your cooking. Thriving in well-drained soil and requiring moderate sunlight, they are well-suited for various locations.
Beyond their visual appeal, these culinary staples offer the convenience of fresh herbs at your fingertips, perfect for enhancing your cooking. Herbs are typically easy to care for, necessitating regular watering and occasional trimming. Incorporating herbs into window boxes provides a functional and charming addition, blending the beauty of gardening with the joys of home cooking.
Strawberries
Incorporating strawberries into window boxes presents a delightful blend of ornamental charm and edible reward. With their lush green foliage and white flowers, these compact plants transition to yield bright, juicy fruits, offering a visually appealing and tasty treat right from your window.
Strawberries are well-suited for window boxes due to their shallow root system and trailing habit, which allow them to cascade beautifully over the edges. They require full to partial sun and consistent moisture for optimal growth. Planting strawberries in window boxes adds a burst of color and interest and provides the pleasure of homegrown, fresh berries at your fingertips.
Lettuce and Greens
Adding lettuce and greens to window boxes is an excellent way to combine visual appeal with practicality. Varieties like romaine, arugula, and spinach offer a lush, verdant display with their rich green leaves, enhancing the aesthetic of any window space. These leafy greens are visually pleasing and provide the convenience of fresh, homegrown produce for culinary use. Thriving in cooler temperatures, herbs are suitable for spring and fall plantings. They prefer well-drained soil and partial to full sun exposure. Incorporating lettuce and greens into window boxes is a simple, effective way to enjoy fresh, nutritious greens while adding a touch of natural beauty to your home.
