The Gardener's Corner
Old world charm
by Judith Rogers

Anyone who has traveled to Europe knows how beautiful and charming the window boxes in London, Paris and Amsterdam are and they have enhanced the homes and streets for centuries.

Window boxes are typically made of plastic, wood or wire (commonly called a hayrack) and should be well secured for support as they will become quite heavy when watered. A layer of gravel in the base of the box is not sufficient for drainage, holes in the bottom are important so that the plants don't become water logged. To hold the soil and plants in place in a wire basket a liner is used made of sphagnum moss or coir, which is a coconut fibre. Landscape fabric could also be used for this purpose as it too is porous enough for drainage. To prevent wood boxes from rotting, they benefit from being lined with heavy plastic and holes poked into the bottom.

Flowers should be planted close together in a box making use of thrillers, fillers and spillers. This strategy is used for pots too; the taller thrillers such as grasses, spikes, geraniums and coleus go in the back with fillers like petunias, pansies, lobelia planted in the middle and the spillers are those trailing vines of vinca, sweet potato, licorice, ivy and wave petunias that will cascade down the front and sides. When choosing plants keep in mind the sun exposure the box will receive and as with pots, the bigger the better for soil volume to retain the moisture.

Use a potting mix specifically for container gardening; a soilless mix has water retention capabilities while providing good drainage and aeration that soil from the garden doesn't supply.

Two homes on Linden Street in Alcona have beautiful window boxes which I have admired for some time. The owners, and neighbours to each other agreed to share the secret to their stunning displays. Terry and Debbie Risdon at1005 Linden Street have on two separate windows wrought iron frame planters lined with sphagnum moss which are watered every other day through the windows. Debbie has used slow release fertilizer pellets in the past but is currently using Miracle Grow approximately once a week. This year she is using all wave petunias but does like to change the plants and colour scheme yearly.

John and Bev Theakston are at 995 Linden Street and they have a long wooden window box lined with two stainless steel inserts utilizing a good sized drainage hole beneath each one. John has rigged up a drip irrigation system for their box which is on a timer but intends to create a separate zone for the window garden which will be watered twice a day for about five minutes each time. Wave petunias and ivy are planted this year but they too have used different plants in the past and fertilize with Miracle Grow.

Generally speaking window boxes should be close to eye level to admire while those hung higher need to have impact. Both families have created the essential effect with their window boxes high on the second story level creating a substantial colourful display.