Window Boxes - Rob The Gardener
My daring spirit has taken me to knew heights and this year I’ve added Dill to my window boxes. While this may lead some of you to think I’m mad, bad and dangerous to know, others amongst you might like to know that it’s going rather well. Not only does it perfectly serve my fish addiction when it’s all blended up with lemon butter; but happily it’s tall feathery figure is growing exactly in the way of my creepy neighbours eyeline, so that’s a double-win. (And for the triple- it’s hard to kill.)
Herbs, in general, of all sorts, are going in the window box. Though not alone! I’m sounding like a crazy radical again but we live in the 21st century and segregation is over; herbs and flowers can play together, the results of which are beautiful. The yellow sanvitalia are like little mini-sunshines who get on wonderfully with those shrubby rosemaries. The burgundy Irezine punks are peaceful watching over the young trailing lemon thyme. It's a community. Even the showboating 'Red Gem’ Marigold (a herb and flower in one) is sharing its space. And ofcourse the variegated sage is a natural visual charmer for any space too.
Growing herbs isn't for everyone. Some of you may have a shady window ledge, so try filling it with ferns instead and have the purple flowers of a vinca trail down the side. Some of you may prefer a traditional bevy of colour, so get the impatiens growing - like their name suggests - they don’t stop. And some of you may want to never touch it a second time, in which case geraniums will forgive you many times. Whatever your personal preference, my personal plea - and it is just that - is please please please for the love of goldfinch choose a good looking box. Because no matter how well your garden grows, there will come a time when there's little life on show and that beat up bit of plastic is now sitting pride of place on the front of your house, a hollow reminder of the toils of gardening. So don’t let it get to that! Find something awesome. Buy it, paint it, make it or upcycle it but just make sure that it’s something worthy of you, your home and all those cool herbs you're going to put in it!