Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Container Gardens

Window Box Gardening in Hot Afternoon Sun

Designing and Maintaining West-Facing Window Boxes

West-facing window boxes receive intense afternoon sun, requiring heat-tolerant plants and smart watering strategies.

Plant Selection

Choose full-sun annuals like marigolds, geraniums, petunias, and other heat-loving varieties. Visit local nurseries for region-specific recommendations and design advice.

Container-within-Container Method

Placing individual pots inside the window box allows easy swapping and precise watering. Water each pot by weight: heavy after watering, wait until light. Fertilize monthly during the growing season.

Planning Resources

Consult garden design books, HGTV shows, and knowledgeable nursery staff to create a full, attractive display that withstands August heat.

Container Gardens: Vinca Dying After Planting: Drainage and Disease; Diagnosing Garden Pests: Grubs, Flies, and Tulip Damage; Dividing and Propagating Alocasia (Elephant Ear) and Seed Collection; Reviving Straw Flowers with Deadheading: Timing and Technique; Canterbury Bells, Zinnias, and Long-Lived Indoor Flowers; Growing Lilacs in Containers: It’s Possible But Demanding; Keeping Potted Mums Year-Round in Cold Climates; Nasturtiums in Hot Mediterranean Climates: Sun, Shade, and Soil; Croton Flowers: What They Are and Why They Won’t Make New Plants; The Deeper Meaning of Flowers: Beauty, Memory, and Emotion

Garden Articles

Sowbug/Pillbug Invasion: Exterior Treatment and Exclusion

Spring Squirrel Lawn Digging: Seasonal Foraging

Why Replanted Tulip and Daffodil Bulbs Failed Indoors

Falling Oriental Poppies: Wind Damage, Not Root Issues

Moving Established Daylilies: Timing, Storage, and Transplant Success

Reviving a Tropical Hibiscus After Winter Leaf Drop

Pruning Overgrown Aeoniums: They Will Regrow

Plants

Outdoor Cattleya Care: Rain, Rest Periods, and Blooming Triggers

Why Floribundas Fail in Planters with Evergreens: Root Competition

Thin Leaf Stems and Small Leaves: Fertilizer and Rest Period Fixes

Drosera binata 'T-Form' in Eastern Washington: Start Indoors, Move Out in Spring

Pitcher Fluids: Do Sarracenia and Nepenthes Produce Their Own or Need Filling?

New York Spring: Too Early for Outdoor Nepenthes and Sundews (Wait Until Nights >55°F)

Sarracenia purpurea & 'Tarnok' Indoor Mold: Fungicide Sources