If you are blessed enough to have a sunny terrace or balcony, there are many possibilities available to you in regard to plants. Colors, fragrances, textures, and lengths all come into play.
On the balcony or in the garden, we love planters! As a colorful addition, the flower box is ideal for decorating and refreshing a terrace. Want to add color to your yard or adorn your balcony? Choose the flowers you want to accompany them with and create your dream floral arrangement by following the steps!
Today, in this article, we are going to learn about how to create the perfect flower box.
* Features of a flower box
* Plants to choose
* Tips for beautiful compositions
* Cultivation and care
* Respect the needs of the plants
* Color and size agreement
* Plants with harmonious shades for your flower box
Features of a Flower Box
A sunny space is a blessing for the gardener as many bright plants appreciate this exposure and bloom abundantly. Terraces and balconies can be arranged in a thoughtful way to accommodate a maximum number of plants by using multiple containers including planters, hanging baskets, and large boxes.
However, in full sun and in pots, plants quickly suffer from a lack of water, so you should have to be very vigilant because, on a single summer day in the hottest regions, they may wilt or even perish. If you don’t have much time to dedicate to your plants, install an automatic watering system, or choose plants that are resistant to lack of water. You can also install shades (sails, blinds, parasol, or drapes) to protect your most fragile plants from the scorching sun.
Plants to Choose
There is nothing better to brighten up a balcony or terrace than with beautiful planters that bloom throughout the summer. Here are some options to consider:
Gazania: this sunny plant is carefree and lights up planters from April to October. It only opens when the sun is present, but then they offer a light show. Deep red, bright orange, bright yellow…all colors to brighten up your balcony! Varieties with streaked petals provide a beautiful contrast. This plant needs light substrate and watering.
Pelargonium ivy is divided into numerous cultivars with single or double flowers. It is available in a wide range of bright colors from white to almost black garnet red. They are easy to grow and require only very regular watering.
Osteopermum, also known as Dimorphoteca, are beautiful plants that are easy to grow and tolerate a few watering omissions. They grow well in full sun in a very draining substrate.
Tips for Beautiful Compositions
Plants sharing the same planter should have the same needs: exposure, frequency of watering, type of soil (light and drained or fresh and vibrant)
For flowering plants, choose long-flowering species that can remain beautiful from late spring to autumn.
Don’t neglect plants with decorative foliage, beneficial for enriching a composition, giving it strength and stability when the flowering period runs out of steam, lightness (fine and cut foliage) or color (silvery foliage, red foliage, golden foliage)
Vary the heights: associate tall, slender plants with low, stocky plants.
Also vary the shapes of the flowers, the leaves, the textures.
Additionally, if you combine several colors, you should offer a variety of colors such as blue, yellow, or pink and green. Or, you can work around the same shades such as light pink, dark pink, or yellow and pale orange. Feel free to choose.
Cultivation and Care
For a window box that remains beautiful throughout the season, you need an excellent growing medium. Additionally, you should have a good quality compost for flowering plants or a mixture of garden soil with compost enriched with fertilizer.
Pay attention to drainage: the bottom of the planters must be drilled, and no saucers full of water should be left under the pots.
If the planters are installed in full sunlight, water regularly. During the summer, the substrate dries very quickly. Some plants can fade very soon if there is a lack of water.
To extend the flowering period, cut off the wilted flowers: this encourages the plant to produce new flowers.
Respect the Needs of the Plants
One of the most common mistakes made by beginner gardeners is to misunderstand the aesthetic needs of the plants and to combine them in a single flower box without first finding out the main requirements. These tips should prevent you from many decorating fails.
Do not mix plants for the shade and plants for the sun. Plants have different needs. For example, petunias, pelargoniums, and coreopsis can enjoy the sun, so it is possible to combine them. Fuchsias, lobelias, and heuchera prefer half-shade.
Do not plant bulbs that require different watering together in the same box. You should always put together flowers with the same watering requirements. Do not plant New Guinea impatiens, known for its constant need for water, with lavender that would not survive it, or cactus with a surfinia. The result would be catastrophic.
Color and Size Agreement
The color of the flower box is also essential and should match the foliage or flowering of the plants. Beware of fluorescent pink, apple green, and electric blue, which are fashionable, but they only go well with very few colors.
Mixed or silvery foliage can go well with dark colors that can improve them. However, you should always avoid planting them in white or grey boxes.
Also, beware of the size of your planter. In a small flower box, never plant a conifer, no matter how dwarf, or a shrub or large perennial. These plants can grow much more than you think. Nothing is worse than a hollyhock or a delphinium in a small flowerpot.
Plants with Harmonious Shades for Your Flower Box
To create a friendly flower box, choose colors that are close together to excite a discreet monochrome, or create a bright contrast with two opposite colors. For example, avoid orange dwarf dahlias with pink mini roses or purple pelargoniums with red geraniums.
Also, beware of some bright gold foliage, which is very intense but does not combine well with many colors.
Moreover, think about the exposure: in full sunlight, the bright colors can be splendid. Red carnations, zinnias, petunias can have the best effect. In the shade, choose pastel shades that can lighten the area. Fuchsias, lobelias, or begonias in pale shades can be ideal for your window box.
Putting together a planter is not as easy as it first seems. To create a flower composition in a window box, keep in mind that the plants should have about the same needs to grow in the same flower box. Thus, avoid mixing plants that appreciate shade and a damp substrate with cacti, for example, the result may be aesthetic. Still, your planter won’t last very long.