Flower box
Growing in a flower box is a fun and easy way to bring more greenery and color into your home. You can grow both flowers and vegetables in a flower box. It's perfect for those with limited space as you can place it wherever you want. Plants in outdoor flower boxes can also attract bees, butterflies, birds and other animals. This can make for an interesting, beautiful, fragrant and educational environment.
Plants that fit in a flower box
What you can grow in a flower box depends mainly on:
- The size of the flower box
- The type of soil you have in it
- How much sun it gets
- Whether the location of the flower box is draughty or sheltered
It's a good idea to have several different flowers in the window box if they have similar requirements in terms of sun, soil type, nutrients and water. Some plants like a south-facing window box where they get maximum light. Others prefer shade rather than direct sunlight. Then it's up to you to make your selection based on what you have in mind. If you want a flower box with hardy plants that bloom for a long time, petunias or pansies can be a good choice. They are very easy to care for and come in many colors. If you can place the flower box in a sunny position, lavender may suit you if you want a Mediterranean feel. Lavender has a wonderful scent and can be used for many things. Geraniums, herbs, ornamental grasses and anemones are other examples of plants that can be used in a flower box.
Have a flower box on the balcony
With a flower box on your balcony, you can grow your favorite plants, watch them grow and maybe harvest them in the fall. If you put a flower box in a window, you may lose some light. But it can also provide desirable privacy in a window facing a street.
Make yourself comfortable with a self-watering flower box
If you don't want to be afraid of traveling away from your flowers for a while, you can plant them in a self-watering flower box. It has a water tank that is placed under the container with soil. If your plants have roots that reach down into the soil, they will be able to get water that way. Using a self-watering flower box is labor-saving and really good for short trips.
Plants come into their own in a flower box on legs
A flower box on legs is practical. You don't have to bend down as much to take care of your flowers. Many flowers are also placed at a height that makes them stand out from an aesthetic point of view if you place them in a flower box on legs. When the flower box itself comes up a bit, you can use the space between it and the floor for storage.
Flower boxes are available in several materials
There is a wide range of attractive and practical flower boxes on the market. One advantage of plastic is that it weighs little and is easy to clean. Wood acquires a patina over time if it is untreated. The same goes for concrete, which is a heavy but durable material. Building a wooden flower box is not that difficult if you have a drawing. Keep in mind that there need to be drainage holes in a flower box so that excess water does not remain in it.
Author: Johanna DammFact checked by Erik HoekstraLast updated 2023-12-04
