Winter Window Box Decorating Ideas

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 When it comes to window boxes in the winter most people tell me that they simply empty out the window boxes and stow them away in their garages.  Sometimes they even tell me they leave them empty on the house until the spring finally comes back around.  The idea of storing away a wooden window box is rooted in experience.  A wooden window box left with wet soil inside the box can simply crack.  When water freezes and turns to ice it expands and pushes outward making a wooden window box not a good candidate for use during the winter.  The same can also happen with some fiberglass window boxes and hollow plastic window boxes.

However, there are some new composite window box materials on the market that are starting to flip this trend upside down on its head.  Composite window boxes are not as susceptible from splitting apart or cracking during winter freezes.  Composite PVC window boxes are one such example and they can be left out year round often without even having to remove the dirt from the box.  This is great news from a maintenance standpoint in that the boxes don't have to be taken down for winter and stored away.

From a decorating and planting standpoint this is also good news.  There is a growing trend of people who are using the boxes for decorating purposes throughout the holiday season.  This means filling the boxes with wreathes, ribbons, lights, and festive decorations can result in a novel way to show off your window boxes.   This means decorating for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Years are a great way to add some interesting decor to your holiday window boxes.

In addition to decorating, planting window boxes during the winter is also a thing.  Winter annuals are a class of plants and flowers that are hardy during the winter but fall off as the temperatures warm up.  Winter annuals however are very specific to region so it's a good idea to check with your local nursery on which flowers they have available and recommend.  There are also some hardy plants that can work with larger depth window boxes that will last year round and don't have to be replanted each season.  

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.