Little Garden, Big Style

Window boxes squeeze all the charm of a cottage garden into just a few feet. If you love to garden but don't have much time or acreage, you'll love window boxes.

» From Cottage Living

Lynn Karlin

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Experiment With Color

Window boxes are ideal places to experiment with color; the investment is small, so any "mistakes" aren't too costly. Take a paint of your house with you to the nursery so you can see how a plant will look against it. A color wheel, available at crafts stores and art-supply shops, is another handy tool to tuck in your pocket when plant shopping. Pick colors directly opposite each other on the wheel for a complementary scheme.

The dark burgundy Coleus, at left, pairs well with the lime green margarita sweet potato, even though they're at opposite ends of the color wheel. For a monochromatic scheme, consider white kale and creamy-hued mums. Mostly, just follow your instincts. If you're not wild about the decisions you made, relax -- you won't have to live with the results for more than a season.

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