Designing Window Boxes: Annuals vs. Perennials, Color Schemes, and Plant Lists

Annuals bloom all season; perennials bloom briefly and look poor in winter. For boxes, annuals give more impact per dollar. Design: tall center (or back if against wall), medium fillers, trailing edges. Limit to 5–7 varieties per large box. Match colors to house: soft pinks/lavenders for calm; reds/oranges/yellows for pop.

Top drapers: lobelia, alyssum, Swedish ivy, calibrachoa, bacopa. Main plants: petunias, pansies, begonias, impatiens, zinnias, geraniums, marigolds, dianthus, periwinkles, snapdragons, dwarf mums, dusty miller. Arrange nursery flats to preview combos. Late season: plant winter pansies + bulbs, switch in spring.