Winter Window-boxes & Hanging-baskets

Now is the time to think about planting up your Window-boxes, Containers and Hanging-baskets for a little winter colour during the bleak months ahead – growth wise. The sooner they are planted, while there’s a bit of warmth to encourage growth, the better. The larger the container you intend planting up,  the more adventurous you can be size wise with your plant choice ,  the larger more visually dramatic display you’ll end up with.

What you’ll need –

·       Container of choice to plant – 14” Hanging-basket or larger, Window-box, planter or ceramic /plastic pot.

·       Multi-purpose compost mixed with slow release feed ( try to get at least 5-7 month or 12-14 month if possible)

·       Range of perennial plants/shrubs as centre and side plants

·       Bedding / filler plants to add colour & interest

 

Suitable Centre Plants

·       Small or slow growing conifers – Cupressus Goldcrest (scented lime green), Thuja Smaragd (dark green) to name but a few plants as specimen centre plants.

·       Cordyline - pink passion, Torbay Red [brown leaved], Torbay dazzler[variegated]

 

Suitable side/companion plants

·       Small bushy plants – Hebe ( available in various colours : variegated, brown, green, Etc.), Choisya ( bright golden leaves), Euonymus fortune “Emerald n Gold” (variegated green & yellow leaves), Acuba ( spotted laurel )

·       Trailing plants – best are plants designed to give ground cover in normal gardening conditions : Lonicera nitidia Maygreen, Cotoneaster sal “Repens”, Juniperus squamata Blue ( low growing spreading silver/blue conifer)

 

 

       

Suitable Training plants

·       Ivy – available in green or  variegated ( with white or yellow)  

·       Vinca minor – again available  in green or  variegated ( with white or yellow)  

 

 

Suitable flowering bedding and filler plants

·       Pansies – either single colours or mixed

·       Violas -  usually multi-coloured but available as single coloured too

·       Heathers – (usually listed under Latin name Calluna) White or Pink normally, but also available painted in highly visible florescent colours, and as awful as that sounds can be used to great effect (if you pick the less gaudy colours!)

 

Now all you have to do is put them all together – easy!

1.       Fill your chosen container with your compost / slow release fertilizer mix to a little over ¾ full, leaving room for watering when filled with your plants

2.       Chose and put in your centre plant. Plant to depth it was in original pot and make sure you firm it in, so its secure

3.       Then place in two side/companion plants either side & firm them in( two plants either side or four for long window-boxes,  but circular Hanging-baskets or containers three or more look better.

4.       Then add any trailing plants (same configuration as side , one or two in window-boxes but three or five in round pots & containers look best)

5.       Then simply add your colourful bedding and heathers to fill in any spaces left. Water in well and leave in glasshouse or sheltered location to grow on before placing in their intended winter spot.

6.       You can vary your display , even when using same type container by using different plants or even by colour coding displays -  i.e. yellow flowers with variegated and light green plants or Blue / Silver conifers with white & blue flowered pansies/violas

Come on and get planting, you reap the benefits with wonderful winter colour till next summer if well cared for. Whatever you do decide, Happy Gardening!