Sunny window boxes

[goldpendant]

I've got three teracotta window boxes I'm finally ready to fill! They will sit on West facing sills, pretty sunny spot in the afternoon/evenings.

I've read that thyme would be good, and am looking at heliotropes.... I'd like a blue/purple/white and lots of green scheme.

I also need them to be pretty long flowering, and hardy as I'm not naturally green fingered!

Please help me! Do I need crocks in the bottom? What type of soil??

Just giving this a bump for you OP (and following with interest for my own window boxes)

Thanks @EstherMumsnet !

Just normal potting compost is fine. Are you happy for them to just last this year
And then clean them out and replant next year, as with hanging baskets?

I'm a fan of creeping thyme spilling over an edge (photo from my garden). You can get creeping thyme with purple flowers (or purple pink like Caborn Wine and Roses) and also white to go with your colour scheme. Bees love the flowers.

Just look at the maximum height on the thyme plant info when buying, it should be about 5 cm (2 inches). Maybe add a bit of grit to the compost as well.

If they are terracotta I would recommend mixing ordinary soil or compost in with a multi purpose compost. If you’re rubbish at watering, add water retaining granules.
They dry out really fast and a bit of substance will help with this.

I change my window boxes seasonally. Summer has petunias, fuchsias and lobelia ( very traditional)
In winter I have winter cabbages
In between the season I have pansies.

I have the same. I feel you may as well make a statement with window boxes as plants usually need changing as Iris, above, suggests. Many varieties of begonias and or fuchsias and surfinia petunias in summer, small cypress or cabbage with ivy in winter. Cabbages looked awful by april this year so replaced them with violas until last week. Do put enough plants in, a skimpy window box is not a joy.

And water! Put water retaining gel. In bottom of troughs. Water every day and on hot days, twice, early morning and evening. On a west facing window sill they will dry out in no time at all. Also feed them once a week. If they're jn multi purpose, start feeding 4 weeks after planting. Dead head as needed, lovely