Colorful Container Gardens

Window Dressings

This cottage-style collection is filled with geraniums, petunias, and caladiums. Cottages, bungalows, and casual entrances lend themselves to window boxes. Their nature invites casual plantings overflowing with color and texture. Here are some things to remember when planning and planting.

• A common mistake with window boxes is making the container too small for the site -- notice how large these are (each of these is 38 inches) and how well they suit each window's proportions.
• Drainage is a must. If your box is not predrilled, add holes, each at least a 1/2 inch in diameter. In a container more than 1 foot long, make multiple openings, spacing them a foot apart.