CHARM OF THE WINDOW BOXES

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32019, 20 June 1969, Page 10

CHARM OF THE WINDOW BOXES

(Specially written for ’-'The Press" by M. LUSTY) The window box may be a thing of the past but with the increasing number of flats »oing up so that there is a decrease in garden area it could more than regain its former popularity.

It can be used not only to brighten up the home dwelling with colourful displays or even bring a fragrance into the room, but it also has its uses on commercial sites, office buildings and such like.

Initially the most important item of a window box is the selection of the timber from which it is to be made. It should not be less than tin thick, as this not only discourages warping but

enables the box to hold a greater weight of soil. Five to six feet is the maximum advisable length, with a depth of 9in and a width of 12in tapering to the bottom. Greater length would make the box too heavy; on

an average a box of the quoted dimensions, filled, would give a weight in the region of ?51b per foot of length or about 4501 b for the 6ft box. In this respect it is better to make up a number of smaller boxes than have one big one. The depth and width quoted give adequate room for root development; and there are sufficient plants of the kinds and varieties suitable for the purpose.

Frozen Soil The tapered width allows for possible expansion of frozen soil. The various sections should be dovetailed together. Drainage is important; and two holes per square foot of flooring should be adequate. The holes should be covered with bits of broken pot and the box itself stood on battens

to allow a drip tray to go underneath. Window boxes must either be treated with copper or zinc naphthanate or be lined. The lining should be copper or galvanised iron, or roofing paper. The paper should be of three layers sealed in place with hot asphalt. Any of these linings will prevent rotting of the timber. Supports for the box may or may not be necessary; but it should be fastened with lag screws or bolted to wall studs. All these preparations can, of course, be circumvented if the window box is incorporated in the house design and built at the time the house is built.

Rotted Compost What material should be used to fill the box’ First an inch layer of gravel, small stones or crocks to aid drainage. Over this is placed inverted turfs or rotted compost and the box is then filled up with a good < soil mix. This is important; not just anything will do. A recommended mixture

consists of three parts good soil, two parts well rotted manure, leaf mould or compost, and one part sharp sand. To this should be added blood and bone. The box should' be filled and firmed to within an inch of the top. Bedding plants will give a spring display which can be replaced by other plants to provide colour throughout the summer until the frosts arrive. This system provides an attraction for about eight months of the year. The spring display would be planted at about the same time as the spring bedding. Suggestions for inclusion are wallflowers, aulbretia, mysotis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, polyanthus, stock and arabis.

Bulb Planting These can be planted on their own, or there can be bulbs planted among them. Bulbs to be used will depend on the size of the main planting, but crocus, snowdrops, chionodoxa, scilla, daffodils, narcissi, hyacinths, iris, and ranunculus are all suitable.

Not only can these be in- i terplanted on their own, but ‘ more than one kind can be used to prolong the display. ; Under favourable conditions j Primula malacoides and cinerarias will also do well. Summer displays can be .made up of direct sowings of Californian poppies, but it is more usual to use plants. Taller growing plants should be kept to the back—that is, the house side of the box. To the front should be the smaller ones, including trail-1 ing or climbing varieties which can hang over the edge of the box and sill. Taller plantings could include Gloriosa daisies, dwarf bedding dahlias, zinnias, bonfire salvias, cushion chrysanthemums and geraniums. These can be fronted by such plans as lobeilia (including the trailing variety “Sapphire”), nasturtiums, both the dwarf and climbing varieties, alyssum, verbena, portulacca, ivy leafed geraniums and gazanias. Put In Shade Boxes placed in shade and protected from winds can be filled with all kinds of begonia, especially the cascade types of tuberous begonia. Fuchsia can also be used, and again the weeping varieties are particularly suitable. Window box plantings need not be confined to temporary plantings for there are many small shrubs or very slow growing ones which can transform the window sill. Ericas, Ceratostigma willmotian, Linutn-narbonense, Cistus beanii, Cytisus lusitanicus, Nandina domestica pygmaea, dwarf forms of manuka, lavender and rosemary, and dwarf and very slow growing conifers are but a few suggestions. Most of the more common rock garden plans are too .vigorous and would quickly outgrow their space but some of the dwarf bulbs are ideal—for example, Leucojum autumnale, dwarf iris and crocus species, the smaller narcissi species and galanthus. Additional alpines are Dianthus neglectus, Primula marginate and its varieties, Gentiana verna, Thalictrum kuisianum and some of the species of Androsace. Pot Plants Window boxes can also be used to display pot plants, in which case it would not be necessary to construct quite such a substantial box. The pots are stood in the box so that only the foliage and flower is visible—the pots being packed with wet peat or sawdust to reduce rapid drying out If flowering plants are used these can be changed as the blooms fade.