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PlantTherapy: Window Box in Green

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Just wanted to share this nice group of plants, for those that love the harmony of a limited color palette. These flower boxes are on the 1st floor and provide a nice screen from the street for anyone seated in the parlour of this apartment. And the green is nice, with just a spot of silver on the caladiums: not a blossom in sight, yet a beautiful arrangement of shapes and heights arranged in these simple black windowsill planters...

 
 

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Ferns, caladiums, creeping phlox asparagus fern, and sweet potato vine (and, I think, a stray begonia as well) all are fine in the shade, which is what this north-facing window box gets all day. As much as I love blossoms, I think this is a colorful and vibrant display that will consistently look good all season long.

matt at apartment therapy dot com

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PlantTherapy, flowers, plants, flower boxes

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Comments (9)

I love the different shades of green and the different textures. It's beautiful!

posted by grandee on 2008-08-09 13:37:51
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gorgeous!

i'm a total fan of the green textural bits and pieces that flourish in the shade.

posted by kQuade on 2008-08-09 14:25:52
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thanks for sharing. this is cool and refreshing.

posted by merry on 2008-08-09 21:14:02
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Lovely!

I've been thinking about doing some window boxes at my house. How do you achieve the balance of a full lush window box without the plants becoming overgrown and rootbound?

Basically what is the upkeep after it looks this good? Thank you!

posted by Kendal on 2008-08-10 02:23:50
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that is lovely!

posted by maike on 2008-08-10 07:21:45
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The photo is a lovely mix of foliage.

Please consider environmental factors when planting. Some lovely plants can pose invasive issues depending on where they are... Kudzu and Air Potato for example, lovely and easy to grow, is an invasive pest in the southern US, Please plant wisely.

posted by VeryDelishVeg on 2008-08-11 00:43:22
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Looks like aparagus to me, not creeping phlox.
Anyway, it's lovely... I too, though, am curious about how long this arrangement will last. I know a lot of people grow spv's as annuals, though they overwinter in my climate and you can take cuttings if they don't in yours. The caladium bulbs should probably be lifted out and dried out for the winter. sometimes they come back, sometimes they don't.

You could probably plant this modularly - everything in separate pots that can be moved around, swapped out, and kept out of each others' way... it's not the most efficient use of space, though, and it'll need a bit more water in hot months. Though on a northern exposure this is less of an issue.

posted by whytephoenix on 2008-08-11 10:19:42
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whytephoenix -

I think you are right, asparagus fern!

posted by mattplantguy on 2008-08-11 12:23:55
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great pic, great post, and great practical advice. I love the shades of green and the contrasting makes the differences pop out even more.

posted by Easyenough on 2008-08-12 15:05:22
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