Low maintenance plants for window boxes are a great way to elevate the way the exterior of your home looks and feels. Best of all, they only need a little attention to go a long way. From lantana blooms to begonias, there are many easy-to-care for buds that will certainly add an abundance of fragrance, sophistication and a pop of color to your curb appeal.
'Window boxes are wonderful for creating curb appeal and adding charm to a home but are often located in places that make it inconvenient to water and maintain, says Laura Janney, a gardening expert and founder of The Inspired Gardening. 'Choosing flowers that are low maintenance will help your boxes stay in tip-top shape throughout the season!'
For all your brewing window box ideas to give your home color and foliage, here are a few low maintenance plants for window boxes — chosen by an expert.
Low maintenance plants for window boxes
It's time to boost your homes curb appeal and brighten up its exterior by welcoming nature in all its glory. Low maintenance plant for window boxes is the perfect way to do just that.
Here are 7 easy-to-care for blooms to place by your windowsill.
1. Gomphrena
As well as brightening up your windowsill, this versatile flower is also known to be one of the best flowers for raised beds. Bright and full of life with its purplish-pink petals globe-shape, gomphrena plants sure do know how to make an impressions. These annual flowers can grow up to 2 feet tall and are known to be quite low-maintenance.
'Gomphrena, with its gum drop like blooms, is perfect for adding some whimsy to your window box,' says Laura Janney, a gardening expert and founder of The Inspired Gardening. 'We love using shorter varieties like Ping Pong Purple for its bright magenta blooms'.
Laura says as gomphrena are known to handle the heat well with their drought tolerant properties. She tells us this flower 'does not need any maintenance to keep it blooming all season long. It is also a wonderful pollinator, so your window box may be visited by many butterflies!'
Hardiness zone: 9-11
Soil type: Well-drained, sandy
Sunlight: Direct sun
2. Verbena
Aside from these fascinating blooms being one of the best plant to attract butterflies, verbenas also had an undeniable elegance that are a must have in window boxes. Drawing in an aroma of lemon and herbs, this flower is sure to bring an enticing scent into your home. Verbena plants can grow between 3 to 6 feel tall, are easy-to-care for and easy to please — making them great addition for window boxes.
Gardening expert Laura tells us verbenas drought tolerant properties makes it a great plant for all your low maintenance needs. So if you're currently living in heated a climate, this flower may just be the one for you. It also 'comes in a variety of colors so you can mix and match with your other blooms. With clusters of tiny flowers, it adds fantastic texture, makes a beautiful trailer and is a long bloomer,' Laura adds.
Hardiness zone: 7-11
Soil type: Well-drained, clay soil
Sunlight: Full sun
3. Lantana
For plants that like full sun and heat and require very little attention, Lantana is the star of the show. Resilient, tough and full of vigor, these bright clusters of color are an excellent pick for low maintenance plants in window boxes. These stunning buds can reach between 2 to 6 feel tall and sure to know how to make an impression.
'Lantana has brilliant clusters of tiny, long-lasting blooms that come in pinks, red, oranges, yellows, and purples and is heat tolerant,' Laura explains. 'They are great pollinators for bees and butterflies, and they have a delicious scent'.
Hardiness zone: 8-11
Soil type: Well-drained, rich soil
Sunlight: Direct sun
4. Portulaca
Portulaca is also often used around gardens as trailing groundcover, but it also makes a great flower for window boxes. Its versatile elements and heat tolerant features make it ideal for all your low maintenance needs. This flower can also grow up to heights of 6 to 8 feet tall and can make any space look absolutely lush — with its bright hues and daisy-like shape.
'Portulaca with their fleshy leaves store water, enabling them to survive long periods of drought,' Laura notes. 'Their unique flower blooms open up for the sun’s rays and close at night or on cloudy days. Portulaca comes in vibrant colors like hot pink and bright orange, bringing a tropical feel to a window box. As an added bonus, they even attract butterflies!
Hardiness zone: 2-11
Soil type: Well-drained, sandy
Sunlight: Direct sun
5. Begonias
Also known as the perfect blooms for cascading flowers for window boxes, begonias are exceptional flowers that can grow between 2 to 3 feet tall. They're incredibly low maintenance and are known to 'self-clean' — which means you will not need to deadhead these cheerful buds.
Laura says: 'For shady or part-sun window boxes, begonias are a wonderful option for adding color and blooms. Thanks to their waxy leaves, they are drought tolerant, low maintenance and they have tons of blooms!'
Hardiness zone: 6-9
Soil type: Well-drained, slightly acidic
Sunlight: Full sun
6. Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa are some of the best flowers for window boxes. Relatively easy and low maintenance these blooms adapt well to different growing conditions. Reaching up to 1 feet tall — once established, calibrachoa can thrive well in dry conditions.
Laura tells us these flowers come in an array of colors and look 'charming in window boxes when used as a filler or spiller'. She adds: 'With tiny petunia-like blooms, this drought tolerant flower blooms nonstop all season long without any deadheading unlike petunias'.
Hardiness zone: 9-11
Soil type: Well-drained, slightly acidic
Sunlight: Direct sun
7. Potato vine
Easy to care for and maintain, potato vine is the best flower for pots in full sun. They are known for their sun worshipping properties and can grow up to 1 feet tall.
'Potato vine with its bright green, heart shaped foliage makes a wonderful spiller for window boxes,' Laura tells us. 'It can handle sun, but can also be used in part-sun and shade and is drought tolerant,' — making them an ideal low maintenance companion for that added curb appeal.
Hardiness zone: 9-11
Soil type: Well-drained, moist
Sunlight: Full sun to shade
FAQS
How do I plant low maintenance plants in window boxes?
From drought tolerant plants to shrub that love a whole lot of sun, there are many low maintenance plants to choose from but if you're wondering what would be the best way to plant them in window boxes — then we've got you covered.
Laura tell us: 'Make sure to read your labels. Make sure you use plants that will stay small enough and not outgrow or crowd out other plants. Use moisture-control soil, which contains water-retaining pellets that release moisture as needed, can help maintain the ideal moisture level, ensuring healthier plants and less frequent watering'.
She says you also need to ensure your window boxes have adequate drainage to keep soil from becoming waterlogged which could lead to root rot, especially when using plants that prefer drier conditions. Laura adds: Depending on the size of the window box, we like to incorporate anywhere from three to eight plants of any one variety. We tend to place our taller, more dramatic thriller plants in a zigzag or wave pattern toward the cente'.
As for spiller plants that cascade down, Laura says you can tuck these into corners and dot them along the edges. 'Make sure to walk away from your container often so you can take a view from afar and make sure you are spacing your plants correctly. It is easy to get carried away and find you've run out of plants due to having them spaced too closely!' Laura adds.
How do I care for low maintenance window box plants?
Remember, 'low maintenance doesn't mean no maintenance,' Laura emphasizes. 'Window boxes by nature dry out quickly because they are often shallow and are placed under eaves where they don’t receive rainfall'.
Be sure to regularly water your plants 'especially if your boxes are in full sunlight or you’re experiencing a heatwave' and last but not least, Laura says 'aim to keep the soil evenly moist and your blooms will reward you all season long!'
