Windows of opportunity
If winter keeping you out of your garden is making you go cold turkey, try a window box and get a splash of close-up colour to banish those blues
The depths of winter can make getting out in your garden hard – it’s cold and gloomy, and all those spring flowers still seem a long way off. So a quick fix for gardeners’ winter blues is to make up some colourful window boxes.
You’ll have a lovely splash of foliage and flowers right under your nose to brighten your day no matter how bleak the weather.
And window boxes are brilliant for winter gardening – sometimes you can even tend your plants from inside.
They are great for people who have no outdoor space or as a first step into gardening, while keen cooks will have homegrown herbs in easy reach.
As a way for plant enthusiasts to add a beautifully arranged container to their stockpile, they’re perfect.
Installing a new window box is a quick and easy process – although if you’re lucky you may already have one in place that can be revitalised.
If not, you may have a wide window ledge on which a trough container can sit, or some balcony railings on which to hang a window box.
Otherwise you may need to install angle brackets – these can be bought from a garden centre and easily installed with a drill and some wall plugs and screws.
If you’re buying a new window box, make sure to take the correct measurements of your window – choose one that matches the style of your house or window, and that has holes for drainage.
The next thing to do is to pick the plants for your winter window box.
The best way is to look around your local garden centre and pick up some outdoor plants that are already in bud or in flower.
Try to choose varying heights and colours to add interest.
There are lots of flowering heather varieties, and winter aconite brings a lovely splash of yellow.
Dwarf evergreen plants will add some welcome foliage interest – while pansies and violas are always a winter colour staple.
For something a little wackier you could try ornamental kale or cabbage. These will reward you with a vibrant purple or gold colour that intensifies during colder weather.
Herbs are great for window boxes if you like edible gardening – evergreen varieties such as creeping rosemary, thyme or sage will provide you with plenty of sprigs to snip off for your roast dinners.
Check whether your box is mostly shaded or in sun throughout the day, and always try to find plants that suit the conditions you have.
If your window opens outwards you might need to plant low-growing varieties – or alternatively lower the position of your window box – to ensure your window doesn’t take all the tops off when you open it.
Herbs are great for window boxes if you like edible gardening