What Exactly do You Put in Planter Boxes? By Tonya Kerniva At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

It’s pretty much impossible to find a person you know who doesn’t like the look of cheery flowers. What is much more common are those unfortunate people who don’t have room or access to a garden. The urban wonder and space-saving solution are planter boxes, that compact little garden on the go we see on so many windows and in backyards. But maybe this is your first window box, or you’re more of a butterfingers than a green thumb. Here’s a quick look at what plants and flowers go well in these mini-gardens.

Herbs:

Planter boxes are absolutely ideal for herbs, which are normally small plants to begin with. Try planting basil, cilantro, chives, or whatever your spice of choice. The taste of dried herbs is nothing compared to the freshness of aromatic, hand-picked herbs from your own garden. Besides, buying fresh herbs from the grocery store is expensive, and tricky to store. Also, when the winter turns cold, smaller planter boxes can be brought inside for fresh herbs all year long.

Vegetables:

In general, planter boxes are not large enough to accommodate a lot of vegetables (have you ever seen a watermelon growing in someone’s window?) but there are some freestanding boxes that can get pretty large. For these, try planting tomatoes and small peppers like banana peppers and jalapenos. These plants are small and hearty enough to thrive in limited space and with partial to direct sunlight.

Flowers:

Flowers are by far the most fun thing to put in planter boxes because of their delicate blossoms and rainbow varieties. When you’re planning out what to plant, a nice idea is to stagger boxes by color and shape of the flowers. Another good tip is to pair flowers with leafy green foliage for added contrast. If you choose a freestanding planter box you can even incorporate the Japanese practice of Feng Shui into your setup. For instance, to attract good fortune, place red flowers by the front door. As far as perennial or annual flowers, it’s completely up to you. Many people choose both.

Flowers can be tricky, though and different species require different exposure to sunlight. Too much or too little can kill the plant, as can overwatering. For some flower and plant combinations, use this list of flowers ordered according to the light they need.

Some perennial blooms that require direct sunlight include the following:

Aster, Baby’s Breath, Black Eyed Susan, Blue Bells, Carnations, Daisies, Delphinium, Lavender, Geranium, Hibiscus, Iris, Lily, Mums, Peonies, Phlox, Poppies and Yucca.

For leafy foliage, pair with Hosta, Hens and Chickens or various grasses

For Partial Shade Perennials try one of these:

Begonia, Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Daisies, Daylily, Foxglove, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Peonies, Phlox, and Roses

The following foliage also takes partial sun:

Ferns, Hosta, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Wintercreeper and grasses

Finally, for perennials that don’t require sunlight, go with one of these flowers:

Astilbe, Bleeding Heart, Blue Bells, Daylily, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Trillium, Peonies, Periwinkle, Phlox, Sweet Pea, Viola and Trinity Plant.

For a greener touch, pair mainly with a variety of ferns and Hosta. Ivy and Moss also prefer this environment

You’ll notice some flowers and plants, like phlox, peony and hosta, appear on more than one list. That is because they flourish in almost any amount of sunlight, and if you’re particularly new to gardening you may want to start with one of these hardier varieties which don’t necessarily require as much time or skill to look after as some other types of plants.

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