How to Create a Unique Look for Your Home with Our Window Boxes

 

For anyone who lives in a house, apartment, or townhome who’s looking for creative ways to expand your space for growing your own plants, H Potter is here to help. As it turns out, we have solutions for those who are looking to grow more of their own plants, even without the space for it, and in doing so you can cultivate a unique and endearing look for your home!

All you need is a window and you can pull it off with one of our unique window boxes! To start off, consider the look of your home and your vision for your finished look before you even get into adding plants.

Consider the Themes of Your Design

Are you going for an art nouveau theme, or is your home more of an industrial-chic type of setting? Are you squared away with an exterior brick facade or do you have wood or vinyl shingles?

Figure out whether you’re going for an industrial, provincial, cozy cottage, or modern aesthetic before you proceed towards actually selecting a window box from our collection. Many of our solid copper window boxes have traits and features that make them uniquely suited to fill a variety of visual roles.

You’ll also want to take into account the material composition and the finish of the window planter as well as the size. Luckily, we offer a variety of different window planters,in 30, 36 and 48 inches, so depending on the size of your window and the look you want to add, we have options for you.

Pick Out a Window Box

Once you have your heart set on a specific design aesthetic, you can actually get to picking out a window box for your home. Personally, we suggest choosing a planter that is at least the length of the bottom of the window and at least 4 inches wide. By doing so, you will ensure that it looks the best from the street and that it can hold enough soil to make watering easier.

Additionally, we suggest choosing a box that is at least a quarter of the depth of the window so that it doesn’t look too sparse. At this size, it will catch the attention of passers-by and present just enough visual appeal without overbearing.

You’ll also want to decide between one of our stainless steel window boxes with an antique copper finish or one of our 100% real raw copper window boxes. Each of them comes with their own unique benefits, and many of them are outfitted with wrought iron brackets to increase their durability as well as their allure.

If you choose a stainless steel option, you will be investing in one of the toughest window boxes you can buy. Stainless steel is impressively resistant to corrosion and our window boxes are built to last for many years.

This doesn’t mean that our copper window boxes are anything less than the best, though! Made from 100% real, raw copper, our pure copper window boxes are finished with a clear coat to help prevent premature weathering. However, over time, the copper will develop its own natural patina that will enhance the visual aesthetics of the planter. If you want to keep the copper shiny, simply keep it clean and periodically reapply an approved clear coat - being certain not to do so while the planter contains soil or plants!

One more thing to note - our pure copper planters are made, unsurprisingly, of copper, which is a reactive metal. It will form compounds and salts upon exposure to moisture and soil that are beneficial to many plants, which makes them more valuable in the long run.

Once you choose a window planter that suits your vision for the design of your home and have satisfactorily evaluated its qualities, you can get on to choosing plants.

Choosing Plants

There are a huge number of cultivated plants that will thrive in planters, boxes, and window box planters. We’ve highlighted some below that will thrive in our window planters, along with a little information on care.

Keep in mind, the window planter itself is not the only thing that will add color to your arrangement! Depending on the greenery or the blooms you choose to use with your home, you can pick one of these plants to perfectly complement your setting!

Ornamental Plants

Not all plants produce big bright blooms, but some plants are beloved for their foliage. Check out some of these plants that will thrive in a window planter with the proper care and attention - especially if you want to add bursts of green (and other colors!) to your home.

 

●Ivy - Ivy is a dignified and classic plant that actually does very well in containers and can be trained. Plus, it is not a heavy feeder and will only need food a few times per year. Keep it manicured, or let it grow up the side of your home for an old-school look.

●Coleus - Beloved for its vibrant green and burgundy foliage, coleus is one of the easiest domesticated plants to care for. It even responds well to transplant, so get your window box setup, pick up some coleus plants from the nursery, plant them and you’ll be good to go!

●Ornamental Ipomea - Ipomea is a close relative of the morning glories that we will discuss later in this article, and some of the ornamental plants Ipomea cultivars are preferred for their soft green foliage that grows abundantly through the warm months of the year. Care for them is similar to morning glories, and they will quickly fill up a space.

Flowers

In addition to these ornamental plants mentioned above, you can also grow a large number of flowers in window planters that will do amazingly well. Most importantly, they will add splashes of color to your home and can augment the design scheme you already have going for you.

●Marigolds - Marigolds are easy to care for and grow readily during the summer months. Provide them with a well-draining soil mixture and keep it moist. They’re also available in a large range of different cultivars, from brilliant yellow breeds to the deep amber Queen Sofias.

●Petunias - Petunias may be even easier to care for than marigolds and will trail over the edge of the window planter, adding movement to the scene. They’re fairly tolerant of overwatering and humidity, and they are available in nearly any color you could desire.

●Geranium - Geraniums, like marigolds, will grow vertically, but they’re also easy to care for. If your home needs a burst of bright red, then geraniums are a sure-fire bet to make the scene more appealing.

●Begonias - Begonias, which are available in a large range of colors, are also suitable for wet climates. Pink and white cultivars are particularly popular, and their blooms create a pleasant harmony with their soft green foliage.

●Impatiens - Impatiens are also easy to care for, like petunias, and are similarly available in a wide range of colors. Pick a breed that matches the paint scheme of your exterior or goes with a color-complement to make the setting seem brighter by contrast.

Herbs

Good news! Growing your own plants in window planters doesn’t have to be purely aesthetic. You can also grow your own herbs to add a burst of homegrown flavor to your meals, and you can keep them right outside the window. Best of all, some of them can be taken indoors if the weather turns, with an indoor and outdoor planter.

●Basil - a staple of many Italian dishes, basil adds bright, zesty notes to many popular foods. It is also easy to grow and does well in full sun. Pick a south-facing window, plant after the last frost, water well, and feed every few weeks and you’ll have tons of basil in no time.

●Parsley - Parsley, like basil, is also easy to grow and loves full sun. Its care is very similar to basil.

●Chives - Chives are unique on this list because they are not only cold tolerant, but they will also tolerate as much water as you can give them. If you live in a cool climate with a lot of rain, consider chives. They also grow prolifically and an established plant will bounce right back after harvest, growing thicker and taller than ever.

●Lavender - Lavender, though tricky to grow, will add color and scent to your home. It is relatively cold-tolerant, but will not tolerate overwatering. Keep the soil damp to dry, give the plant full sun, and after it rains, open the window for a burst of fresh lavender scent.

●Rosemary - Rosemary’s care is basically identical to lavender, though rosemary will not give you the same blooms as lavender. Still, it will thrive in a window box with proper care.

Why Use a Window Box?

So the question then is, why use a window planter in the first place? Well, window planters are great for people that don’t have a lot of space outdoors or even deck space for growing plants in flower pots. They’re also a great way to add some color and movement to your home.

● Window boxes add curb appeal - A window planter just might be the defining feature that makes your home really stand out from the street, making your home more visually appealing and increasing your property value.

●They give your home a distinctive look - Window planters, especially when garlanded with plants, will make your home stand out from your neighbors.

●They also add space to your home - As stated, window planters and boxes basically expand the floor space of your home, which is a bonus for people living in homes without a lot of space.

Caring for Your Plants

Here are some general rules for caring for your plants. Keep in mind that every plant, even every cultivar, has its own unique needs. Nonetheless, here are some general guidelines.

●Pay attention to the nutritional needs of your plants - Some plants need more fertilizer than others and keep in mind that overfeeding plants can actually harm them.

●Keep the soil moist but not wet - Most plants will thrive with soil that is kept damp but not too wet. Again, the needs of some plants vary, and others are more tolerant of overwatering than others.

●But don’t overwater sensitive species - Some plants, such as lavender and rosemary, will suffer when the soil is kept moist for too long. Allow it to nearly dry out before watering.

●For sun-loving plants, pick a south-facing window - Most of the plants featured in this article are sun lovers, so for those of you reading this in the northern hemisphere, pick out a south-facing window where your plants will get the most sun.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Plants

The joy doesn’t stop with the aesthetic benefits that a window planter can add to your home. Check out some of these benefits of growing your own plants.

●Adds color to your home - Whether for foliage or blooms, growing your own plants can add color to your home.

●Herbs give you the ability to add home-grown flavor - Nothing is fresher than homegrown flavor, and many herbs and some vegetables will thrive in window planters.

●Save money - If you’re in the habit of buying fresh herbs frequently, growing your own will save you substantially over time.

●It’s easier than you might think! - Most of the plants on this last will need minimal care to grow up strong!

●It is immensely rewarding - The personal experience of growing your own plants is extremely rewarding. It’s one of the reasons so many people love gardening.

Give Us a Call for More Information!

You’re just about ready to get started growing your own plants right outside your window. All you have to do is check out some of the high-quality window boxes available right here on our website and pick out your favorites. We pride ourselves on the quality of our products, from our planters to our torches, and if you have any questions at all, give us a call at 208-640-4206.