Fall/Winter Balcony Window Boxes

Our spring/summer balcony “window boxes” needed an update. The boxes are made of metal, coco lined, and hang from the back of the chair and two seater patio furniture using zip ties. The marigolds and petunias were well spent, and would soon be replaced with some hearty fillers. So we emailed our favorite place - Ginkgo Gardens - on Capitol Hill, talked up some ideas, and arranged for curbside pick up last week. It’s not easy being a gardener on a balcony. First, the seating arrangement was changed so that the baskets faced toward our living room. That way we could enjoy the flowers over the season. The summer contents were then removed, and then the variegated ivy was first cut in half and placed on either side of the container. We got one large liriope container that needed to be divided in to three parts. It’s a perennial so hopefully it will survive the winter. At last the twelve yellow and maroon colored winter pansies were planted. In the end it looked nicely balanced with tall, flowing, and fillers. We always had window boxes and containers in our Midwest home, and then a small patio garden on Capitol Hill. The nice thing about the balcony garden is that we can actually see it all day long. When the holidays approach I’m hoping to add branches and greenery. It was a fun project and kept us occupied for a while. Now we just need to make sure everything thrives. Thanks Ginkgo Gardens for helping us again. It will be nice to visit the shop and make our own selections. But this is the next best thing.