Think outside The Window BOX

Window boxes are show pieces. They present a window, mark a season, define a space and when done right provide inspiration forthe viewer and admiration for the maker.  From a Parisian courtyard, to a NYC office building facade, window boxes are a dish best served spectacular.

There are so many different formats that produce a show stopping  window box. My favorite is the - Thriller, Filler, Spiller format. It’s a super easy technique that you can use over and over again taking the guess work out of designing stunning window boxes in any season. Here’s a breakdown of the technique. 

Thriller - is the show stopper plant and vertical accent of the box. 

Filler -is the meaty middle and horizontal angle of the box. 

Spiller - is the cascading plant draping over the sides of the box. 

Just as in good landscaping the three different height levels of the - Thriller, Filler, Spiller, format, creates layers giving your window box a professional polished finish. Sky is the limit with the different plant combinations you can use and each season brings new  possibilities. Stick to your taste of colors, textures and shapes and do err on the side of imagination!

When planting boxes in mid to late spring, ensure to leave enough room for this busy seasonal growth period. The long summer days and balmy nights, give your plants everything they need to grow. Here, this box started out looking like the top photo in the spring and ended up looking like the bottom photo in late fall.  Fill your boxes when planting but don’t over crowd them with plants.

If working with hard to reach boxes, use an evergreen Thriller and Spiller and just switch out the Filler each season to keeping the box current. I love working with miniature evergreen trees, there are so many different types to choose from in all colors, shapes and sizes. I like to use these as my middle feature plant the - Thriller. Maintain boxes with liquid plant food once a fortnight using a watering can with a rose cap ( a cap with small holes) and make sure to foliar feed as well as feeding the soil. When working with a 24 inch rectangular box , use up to two Fillers. When using a 28 inch or longer box, you can use up to four different Fillers within the standard format.  There are loads of variations of the standard format, when you get comfortable with working with the technique, you can use two different Spillers on the ends of the box and in the middle with the -Thriller feature plant. You could also use two different Thrillers. For now, stick to the standard - Thriller , Filler , Spiller, format.