Patio Box Annuals
Choosing Window Box Flowers

Choosing flowers for window boxes is not always easy. You have to consider color combinations, flower shapes and the different textures of the foliage to get the perfect combination for your flower pots.

There is a large range of window box flowers available in garden centres but in my opinion the traditional annuals like geraniums, petunias or pansies are the most reliable and prolific plants for window boxes. The following article will help you decide on window box flowers.

Picture courtesy of debs-eye

Patio Box Annuals Choosing Your Annuals

by Todd Arend

Patio Box Annuals could be one of the easiest forms of gardening...and one of the most colorful! Flower window boxes are a charming feature for any home. The best way to enjoy these boxes is by picking the right flowers to plant.

The first step to choosing the right plants for window boxes is to consider the climate of your location, the amount of sunlight your planter boxes will get, and the amount of time you have to care for your plants.

If you choose to plant patio box annuals, you will be able to enjoy different flowers each year, if you wish. You could even switch flowers with the seasons.

Several excellent annuals to plant are petunias, impatiens, nasturtiums, marigolds, and snapdragons. Pansies and flowering kale grow in the winter and provide color in those dull months.

Petunias grow to be eight to twelve inches tall and are available in shades of blue, white, red, and pink. They will grow in full sunlight or in partial shade. They also do not need a rich soil, and can withstand drought.

Impatiens flowers in shades of white, red, and pink. They grow best in partial shade, and some varieties of impatiens can even bloom in heavily shaded areas. They grow to be ten to twelve inches tall, require little care and do not need a specific type of soil.

Nasturtiums are especially easy to take care of and need very little attention. Their flowers are red, yellow, and orange and are actually edible. These plants grow ten to sixteen inches tall, and thrive best in full sun.

Find a great selection of Nasturtium varieties here

Marigolds also require full sunlight. They can grow in almost any soil, and can survive with little watering. Marigolds grow to be eight to twelve inches tall and bloom inn various hues of orange and yellow.

Find a great selection of Marigold varieties here

Snapdragons bloom red, white, rose, or lavender flowers, and will grow in full sunlight or in partial shade. They prefer to grow in a rich soil. Dwarf snapdragons and cascading snapdragons are the best types of snapdragons to plant in patio boxes.

Find a great selection of Snapdragon varieties here

Flowering Kale is one of the best option to add color to your patio box all winter long. This plant does not flower, but its leaves are shades of red, cream and green, which cause the kale look like one giant bloom. The plant usually grows to be ten to twelve inches wide. Flowering kale is very easy to take care of because it only needs sunlight, moderately rich soil, and watered on a regular basis. The leaves are also edible.

Find colorful Ornamantal Kale seeds here

Pansies are winter flowers which are much smaller than kale. These plants are very hardy, do not need any special care, and bloom from fall to spring. They come in shades of purple, red, yellow, blue, and orange. Pansies can thrive in both full sunlight or in partial shade. Although they grow best in rich soil, they can still grow and bloom in poorer soils as well.

Find a great selection of Pansy varieties here

If you want to plant annual plants in your patio box, these flowers are the best options from which to choose. The benefits of annual window box flowers are that you can completely redo the look of your boxes each year, or even each season. If you don't want to do that much work, there are also perennial options for your planter.

About the Author: Todd Arend is a freelance writing professional whose expertise covers a variety of areas, including patio and backyard furniture, landscaping and design. He regularly writes for such sites as http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/

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