Winter Window Box Tips: 4 Plants for Winter Window Boxes

Window boxes, also known as flower boxes, are planters situated at the bottoms of windows on the exterior of a home. Window boxes help add curb appeal and serve as a fun gardening project. Though your options for what to plant in winter window boxes may be considerably fewer than in spring or summer, there's no need to leave your window boxes empty. Evergreen plants, pine cones, and other festive decor elements can spruce up your window boxes for the winter season.

Consider using these window box plants in your planter boxes.

1. 1. Dwarf evergreens: Look for dwarf varieties of woody evergreens at your local garden center or nursery. Plant dwarf varieties of boxwood, arborvitae, juniper, Japanese yew, Douglass fir, or rosemary. Come early spring, these plants can be removed from the window boxes and transplanted to your garden.
2. 2. Perennial flowers: Consider adding winter-hardy perennials to your winter planter boxes. Snapdragons, violas, and pansies all have cultivars that will tolerate cold weather. Hardy cyclamen can bloom in USDA hardiness zones five to nine. Hellebores can survive in zones four through nine and can flower even in the snow.
3. 3. Vines: Vining plants—such as English ivy or Boston ivy—are great filler plants for the base of your winter window box.
4. 4. Succulents: If you live in a cold climate where harsh winters bring a deep freeze, succulents may not be your best choice. However, in more temperate regions, succulents can add festive greenery to a winter container garden.

Consider these decorating ideas when putting together a winter window box.

1. 1. Use mulch to protect plant roots. Apply a layer of mulch at the base of any plants you've planted in your winter container garden. This will help protect the roots from frost in cold climates.
2. 2. Use evergreen clippings. Cut boughs from your Christmas tree or mature pines in your backyard to fill out your winter window box.
3. 3. Add a pop of color with twigs and berries. The red bark of red twig dogwood and red berries of winterberry shrubs add great contrast against the green of spruces and firs. Use them to add layers and height to your arrangement. If you can't find fresh winterberry, you can usually find red berries in the holiday decor section of your local garden center. Pine cones are a sensible choice for winter decor as well.
4. 4. Add some pizazz with holiday decor. If you're decorating around a winter holiday, consider incorporating Christmas ornaments or twinkle lights into your window box.
5. 5. Center your display around a holiday wreath. Wreaths can help fill the window box and add an attractive centerpiece for the rest of your display.

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