How to Plant a Window Box That Will Last Year-Round

Want to know how to plant a window box that you won’t need to replant every year? This post is all about how to achieve a perfect window box that will wow your neighbors.

A window box is a timeless outdoor home decor that will uplevel your curb appeal. If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering what the best way to plant a window box is, what flowers you should include, and how to prevent the window box from being too heavy.

From my experience with window boxes over the years, I share my tips and tricks for creating the perfect window box that you won’t need to replant every season!

After learning my steps to plant a window box, you are going to love how welcoming and pretty your home looks year-round.

This post is all about how to plant a window box, what is required for a window box, and the best flowers for a window box.

The Best Essentials to Plant a Window Box

There are a few non-negotiables required for every window box to look complete. Following these design ideas will be a sure way to plant a perfect window box for your home.

1. Window Box Planter

Well, this should be a no-brainer! You are obviously going to need the window box that you plan to attach to your home and plant flowers in. There are so many types of window box styles that you can purchase from anywhere like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Pottery Barn, Wayfair, and more.

Make sure you measure the size of your window before searching for window boxes. The window box size that I needed was 36″ wide, so I purchased a white one from the Home Depot window boxes. I liked the look of a classic white but this one was also self-watering (pretty and functional!).

2. Window Box Filler

This step is SUPER important so that you don’t weigh down your hanging window boxes. Different types of filler can be used to lighten the load of soil in your planter. Believe me, it gets heavy quick and it’s much easier to put up when you have filler added.

Types of window box filler that you can put in the bottom of your planter:

• Packing peanuts
• Plastic water bottles
• Trash bags
• Wine Corks
• Old pool noodles
• Styrofoam
• Soda Cans

3. Window Box Plants

Now technically you can go about planting whatever you want in your window box, and to be honest this is what I did when I first started with it. However, I got tired of having to replant it every season.

If you want a low-maintenance window box that will last year-round, it’s important to pay attention to the types of flowers you purchase. You are going to want to look at the little tag on the flower at the store and make sure it is a perennial.

Where to buy plants for window boxes:

• Home Depot
• Lowe’s
• Ace Hardware
• Local Nursery

It’s also extremely important that you look at how much sun the plant likes. I have killed so many plants in my window box to no one’s fault but the poor flowers just did not want that much sun. Pay attention and read the little tag that comes on the plant – it’s so helpful!

The best perennial flowers for window boxes:

Picking the bright flowers for your window box is the most fun! So I recommend you choose your flowers first. You can mix and match flower varieties or different colors of the same. Below are my favorite flowers that last year after year.

Impatiens

These really are hardy and are great for beginner growers. They like shade though, so they do not thrive in my full sun window box!

Geraniums

What I love most about Geraniums is their fullness! They look similar to a hydrangea but are more hardy. These plants will do well with your full sun window box plants.

Begonias

Okay, these are fun because their leaves are waxy! They remind me of flowering succulents but for your window box. They come in different colors too!

Petunias

Petunias are a classic when it comes to window boxes and hanging outdoor plants. These many different color flowers come in lots of colors and are good in full sun window boxes.

Marigolds

Marigolds are a nice touch of warm colors to your window box. They don’t grow too tall either so they’re a nice addition for some dimension among more prominent flowers.

The best perennial greenery filler for window boxes:

Now, adding greenery is super important to a full looking window box. Without this filler, the flowers would look sparse. The key to a perfect window box is dimension and greenery is all about that! Below are some of my favorite greenery fillers for window boxes.

Creeping Jenny

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff! Creeping Jenny grows along the surface and so once it gets long enough, it will fall off the sides of your window box. It creates a really fun dimension!

Rosemary

There are different varieties of Rosemary but this grows like a mini bush within your window box. It smells good too!

Dusty Miller

This plant looks like it is so soft to the touch. It’s also a lighter muted green which is a nice change from your typical greenery.

Techniques for Planting a Window Box

In order to achieve a picture-perfect window box, you need dimension! The way you get this is by layering different types of plants. My rule of thumb is also to use an odd number of each type of plant. I usually pick 2-3 main types of flowers and then 1-2 greenery fillers throughout my box. I have a 36″ wide window box so for each flower type, I’ll usually plant 3 or 5 each depending on how big they are.

One super important tip is that when you first plant your window box, it is going to look sparse! Do NOT make the mistake of over-planting because these brand-new plants will grow and flourish. You want to allow space for that to happen.

Tips for your window box to last all year round

• Fill the bottom of the window box with filler to create a lighter planter
• Buy perennial plants instead of annuals because these will come back year after year
• Layer in flowers and greenery filler to create dimensions in your planter
• It is okay for your window box to look sparse when you first plant it – you want to allow for growth to happen!

This post was all about how to plant a window box that will last all year round.