10 Fall Window Box Planting and Decorating Ideas

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 Fall is an interesting time for window boxes. A lot of your spring and summer flowers will carry over and continue to thrive into the early and middle portions of fall. As your approach the second half of fall your plants may begin to fade and this is where often creative decorating can take center stage. The good thing about fall is that many plants and some flowers already turn colors that might make perfect sense for the season.    

10 Fall Window Box Ideas 

1. Little Pumpkins and Squash. This is a super quick and easy way to give a window box a Halloween and Thanksgiving makeover. Little pumpkins are cheap and require virtually no maintenance and they’re always going to be a winner this time of year. 

2. Corn Stalks. These plants need lots of water and typically more root space than most window boxes have. However, the look you get with corn stalks when they’re dried out might be better suited for a decorative window box so don’t worry too much about having adequate space here and pouring all your time in trying to grow a successful corn stalk. 

3. Sweet Potato Vine. One of my favorites for all seasons. I’ve planted these in spring and left them to grow in the box all the way till winter. Some flowers will die by the time you approach November and cold weather starts to come in, but you can easily remove those dead flowers while keeping the sweet potato vine in the box to coordinate with the new fall plantings and decorations.  

4. Scarecrows. This one is conveniently simple. Even if you choose to go with plantings in the fall that don’t make this list you can still add a decorative scarecrow to just about any box. Nowadays these decorations are very abundant at most box stores and hobby shops in late fall. Simply plant the stick in the dirt in the back row of the window box. 

5. Celosia. This is an interesting choice. Celosia is made up of large orange plumes and will accent a lot of fall combinations. They even come in yellow and red plumes so they’re perfect for getting the right colors for your window box and they can grow tall enough to stand out. Although you want to get them planted early before the frost comes in for them to do well you can leave them outdoors in the cold weather of late fall and let them age gracefully for a great Thanksgiving look.  

6. Ornamental Grass. If Celosia is not available to you then ornamental grass is probably the next best thing. You won’t get the same bright colors as Celosia but as the grass ages and browns as you approach winter the look you get is only enhanced.  

7. Red Foliage, Artificial Flowers, and Leaves. Now if you’re looking for a completely hands off approach to your fall window box display, then you might even consider going the artificial flower route. There are enough decorative items that can be added to a flower box this time of year that you can avoid real plants and flowers altogether if you want. Going this route you can get good red colors of flowers and leaves to sprinkle in the box evenly. In some instances you can even take the leaves that have fallen in your yard and sprinkle a few across the box to add a decorative touch. 

8. Happy Halloween. There’s really no limit to the imagination this time of year. If you’re looking to turn your window box into a scary creation then there are all sorts of Halloween props that can be added in your box. It could be somethings as simple as a tombstone, some fake spiders, or a ghoulish hand or skeleton crawling right out of the window box. 

9. Ornamental Wreaths. A big trend lately is wreaths for fall. You’re probably already ordering these for your front door, but it might turn out that they’ll show better on or with your window boxes. Simply tether it to the front and center of your window boxes for a great look. 

10. Light. Alright, if you’re an overachiever then this option is for you. Simple string lighting works great here and you can get it in an orange or red it will make your window box stand out in the late evenings when everyone is coming home from work. 

About the Author 

Matt Buquoi is the Owner of Flower Window Boxes, an online window box company that specializes in PVC window boxes and planters.