To ask a really daft question about window boxes and planters

[redredread]

I'm slightly misusing AIBU, but I'm genuinely baffled about this issue, and need guidance.

If you have window boxes/planters, but no garden, what do you do when the plants aren't in flower?

E.g. Dafffodils. What do you do when it's not spring? Do they stay in their planters? Or should the bulbs be packed away (and if so where)? Or do you just chuck them?

Is the same true of other seasonal varieties (geraniums, lavender)? Or do you just accept that you have some/quite a lot of entirely barren planters for large chunks of the year? How does this work if your space is quite limited?

Or... can you plant loads of different things in the same window box, and assume they'll know when they should each appear?

Please forgive these uninformed questions. I've read my gardening books, but am too embarrassed to ask people who know about gardening, as I feel I should know this all already.

[Ginlovinglady]

You could successional plant bulbs/aliums/summer flowering, with some ivy inbetween
Or you could chose something that's all year round like geraniums/rosemary etc
Depends how much effort you want to put into it

[bridgetreilly]

If you plant annuals, you need to change them up every year (or every season). If you plant bulbs, you can generally leave them in unless it gets too damp, in which case they can rot. If you plant shrubs like lavender, they stay in and just need pruning. Basically, the plants will all do their thing, and you need to look after them accordingly.

Container planting is usually a fair bit more work than garden planting, because you have to keep on top of the watering, feeding, pruning and replanting. On the other hand, it means you can have plants in places you couldn't otherwise.

[redredread]

Thank you. Container gardening is my only option at the moment. I'm just starting from a point of almost total ignorance, so this is really helpful. I've found a lot of good advice in books, but this question has confounded me.

[Ginlovinglady]

I would go for something like lavender then.
Just prune in spring so it doesn't get too leggy
You could plant some of those mini irises as well and they should pop up every year for a bit of extra colour before the lavender flowers
They sell both at Homebase
Just make sure you keep on top of watering!
Or succulents, they give all year round colour. They can be a bit sensitive though

[Notknownatthisaddress]

During the winter months, I put gravel in the planters where the daffs and tulips and summer bedding plants have been. Then I drape a couple of artificial ivy type plants around, so there is something in them - other than the gravel. IYSWIM.

[Onetedisbackinbed]

I'd go for perennials, miniture daffodils for spring, primroses for early summer, fushcias for summer and cyclamen for winter, you're going to have to tightly pack the window box but then it will be self sufficient and something should always be coming up

[redredread]

This is such great advice thank you.