It's no secret that Ree Drummond loves flowers. When she and Ladd went on vacation to Vail, Colorado, this spring and posted a pic, Alex teasingly commented, "Hopefully your dahlias are still alive when you come home 🤪." Ree's garden has become her happy place, and that's not just because it's gorgeous: Ree finds it relaxing to tend to it. As she's said, "My garden has been a daily plunge into horticultural oblivion for me, to paraphrase William Styron."
If you're not up for tending to a small garden and you'd like to have fresh fall flowers every day without blowing a bundle, window boxes are an excellent solution. They're front and center for all to see, they're sure to brighten your mood every time you pull into your driveway or stroll up your walkway, and they'll make your house stand out in your neighborhood.
How to Set Up a Window Box
Window boxes are also fairly easy to put together. The trickiest part is deciding which annual flowers to go for—so many pretty varieties, only one summer! But there's a window box flower formula that experts swear by, and it will help you pick a mix that'll look like you paid a pro to do the job for you. Daryl Beyers, a landscape designer and author of The New Gardener's Handbook, takes you through the steps of setting up a window box and filling it with flowers.
Step 1: Buy the Right Box
A good rule of (green) thumb is one drainage hole per foot of window box. Make sure your box is also at least a foot deep to accommodate roots. To protect wood boxes, add a plastic liner and poke holes in it.
Step 2: Add Potting Mix
Soil is typically too heavy and dense for window boxes. Potting mix drains well and retains moisture. Leave an inch or two of space below the top so water won't spill over the sides.
Step 3: Lay Out the Design
Before you plant, put all the flowers into the box—still in their pots—to see how they'll look together.
Step 4: Plant with Care
Remove each plant from its pot. Gently scratch the root ball, which helps roots branch out. Make holes in the potting mix with a trowel and press in each plant. Clip off any damaged leaves, then remove faded buds and add water.
Window Box Flowers to Plant
To create eye-catching window boxes, gardeners combine three kinds of plant silhouettes. Beyers shares his favorites here:
As the name suggests, thrillers are the star of most window boxes. They're meant to rise above the other foliage and grab attention with special features like tall spiky leaves, bold flowers or bright hues. And they set the tone for the whole design, whether you want to be dramatic, whimsical or simple and elegant.
Calla Lilies
Known for their delicate shape, the lilies come in a variety of colors—deep purples, yellows, and ombré beauties like these.
Showy Sage
This wispy plant can grow up to three feet tall over a season. Its blooms attract butterflies and other garden pollinators.
Elephant Ears
The oversize leaves on this trendy plant give a window box a tropical feel. They can grow as big as a car tire!
These literally fill in the spaces around the thrillers, adding depth and interest to the design. They also conceal bare stems of tall thrillers. Look for fillers that grow in clusters, with lush foliage and lots of flowers. They're a good way to play with color and texture, so don't shy away from brilliant hues or unusual leaves.
Begonias
Some love sun, some love shade: Whatever light your window gets, you can find a begonia that will thrive in it.
Heliotrope
These petals usually have contrast, with light centers and dark edges. They’re known for their amazing vanilla-ish scent.
New Guinea Impatiens
Unlike shade-loving classic impatiens, this variety can typically tolerate up to a half day of sun.
To balance a window box design, you should add plants that grow over the edges and trail down. Whether you go with an all-green vine or choose a fast-growing flower, a spiller helps tie a flower box into surrounding plants and foliage.
Nasturtiums
These popular trailing flowers come in bright colors and do well in sunny spots. They're edible, so you can put them in a salad!
Sweet Potato Vine
This ornamental vine can cascade up to 10 feet and comes in green, purple and copper. It thrives in the heat.
Million Bells
Expect loads of little flowers as promised by the name. They're very low-maintenance: Spent flowers fall right off.
Kelsey Hurwitz is the associate features editor for The Pioneer Woman Magazine. When she's not writing about ranch life, home decor and food, she can be found knitting and catching up on her favorite reality TV shows.
