Over several years, we have watched the ebb and flow of the flower box tide in this flower box city.
We have some suggestions for what we have found, partly by trial and error, to be the most successful plants and methods.
The Exposure
The direction a flower box faces, or exposure, has a lot to do with what may be grown in it. For example, growing flowers on the south side of a large concrete building are hard, but it can be done.
South Exposure
For a south exposure, trailing or bush lantana can be put in the background to take over later when the petunias or coleus planted in the front of the box may fail. Lantana seems to stand the intense sun and heat.
Coleus of all colors (dozens of variations) supplemented by the ruffled pink `Maytime’ petunia, and the winter vinca vine (Vinca minor) at their feet.
The variegated summer vinca (Vinca major) does well on a south exposure. Also, sweet alyssum grows well facing south.
North or East Exposure
For a north or east exposure, life becomes simpler for the flower box fancier. Here we can use a wide variety.
The compact fibrous rooted semperflorens begonias or the larger types kept snipped back, are ideal, along with colorful caladiums.
A north exposure is best for the caladiums, interspersed with variegated geraniums or blue browallia. Petunias seem to grow well in any exposure other than total shade.
East Exposure
For an east exposure, the red and white periwinkle in the rear with blue browallia in front made up a good patriotic color scheme for a flower box.
Another east exposure had columns from each side with an arch over the windows of everblooming morning glories intermingled with riotous perennial sweet peas (Lathyrus latifolius).
They are mostly blue or purple. At the feet of these vines was portulaca, and the yellow sedum (Sedum acre).
One flower box with a west exposure had for two years such lavishly growing plants as ‘Crusader’ petunias, and coleus, with columns of everblooming honeysuckle forming an arch over the window.
Good Anywhere
What we call the queen of all flower box flora is the lovely periwinkle (Vinca rosea). It stands for any exposure and does well in shade.
You must cut it back severely to utilize all its potential. Periwinkle comes in three colors (white, red, and pink with red eye) and will stand scientific neglect.
Dwarf marigolds also seem to stand any exposure fairly well, but in some cases, they may fail.
Variation Of Colors
We call the queen of all flower box flora the lovely periwinkle (Vinca rosea). It stands for any exposure and does well in the shade.
For any exposure, even total shade, the multi-colored coleus is always brilliant. Shut your eyes and cut these plants back often.
It is hard to get the amateur gardener to pinch back enough. Cut coleus back to just above a pair of leaves. Then you will never miss what you take off.
Successful Combinations
Miniature evergreens, such as cypresses, junipers, spreading junipers, and even the round-leafed holly, are good for boxes in our area.
If you go in for evergreens, have your boxes at least 14” inches wide.
Intermingle these evergreens with some of the staple annuals such as coleus, petunias, geraniums, and such, and you will have a very attractive box for summer.
Then when Jack Frost blows his trumpet, leave your evergreens for winter.
Trash Boxes to Flower Boxes
Our trash boxes have a flower box on top. The best flowers for these have been the ‘Satellite’ petunia with a periwinkle for a centerpiece.
Hanging over the edges are the winter vinca vines, which we try to hold over the winter months. These exposed boxes should be double-wailed for insulation for both winter and summer.
In the boxes last fall, we put a round-leafed holly shrub in a two-gallon can for wintergreen color.
These trash boxes are subject to rough treatment from both man and the heavenly elements. It is hard to hold plants in them. Sometimes we have to replace them completely.
In new built-in pie-shaped planter boxes, one outstanding combination was a set of spreading yew shrubs.
These were set between geraniums in three colors and flanked with artillery fern (Pilea) and round-leafed ground ivy (nepeta hederacea).
Unusual Planting
The nepeta, trailing down, with periwinkle and geraniums, made up another unusual planting.
Geraniums, evergreens to accent them, and white petunias were very good across the wide front of a department store.
A service station won first prize with a large planting of single-color periwinkles. They were framed by an unusual display of white-walled tires, which set them off.
At Neosho’s Big Spring Park, we have a flower box of masonry 150’ feet long across the park front.
Winter Ground Ivy
For winter, we have ground ivy, with winter vinca (Vinea minor); it has a blue flower in spring.
Also, we have the olive-colored teucrium, an evergreen, interspaced every 15’ feet with an Irish juniper kept low.
Under all this, we have tulips buried ten inches deep to bloom in the spring. Above these bulbs, we place our annuals in the spring while the bulb foliage is still ripening.
Successes and Failures
It has been true here that the hybrid petunias put on the most riotous display of colors, outranking all other flowers.
However, the upkeep for an all-petunia bed is pretty high. You must pick the blooms perpetually “or else.”
The pink ruffled petunia called `Maytime has never had a failure here. Neither have ‘Sky Chief,’ a light blue, and ‘Blue Bee,’ dark blue. But, for us, the white petunia called ‘Paleface’ lasts longer than some.
We have never learned the real names of some of the succulents and ground covers we have picked up from various friends, but they all hold up well in boxes in almost any exposure.
The creeping hardy sedums will trail over the sides of flower boxes beautifully.
Plants Within Boxes
Here are some of the plants we have had total or partial failures within boxes: the ageratums; sometimes, these are worthwhile in partial shade but unreliable.
Torenias, tuberous begonias, nasturtiums, and pansies have been successful in a few cases here.
In a slightly cooler locality, these kinds may be ideal. I believe much of the Midwest will be fairly compatible where the climate concerns the flowers we have mentioned as our star performers.
We have no smog problems in Neosho; the air is high and dry. However, if you have street fume problems, you may have a certain amount of trouble with some plants.
Tips on Growing
One of the vicissitudes of flower box culture is that some of the most compatible colors may need to be more pleasant as to moisture or sun exposure.
For instance, geraniums work almost anywhere as to color, but moisture needs to be kept a little on the dry side to give a star performance.
Most plants will get along, but if planted with moisture lovers (like calaclitims), one or the other would probably suffer.
We have often stated that about 90% percent of all flower box failures stem primarily from the lack of water or, in isolated cases, too much water.
The boxes should be as wide as possible to conform to your always-limited space.
If possible, they should have double walls half an inch apart, and this space should be insulated with peat or sphagnum.
This will aid in hot weather and help if you plant evergreens for winter color.
Keep all plants clipped back some, but after August, go easy on petunias—pick only blooms.
44659 by Blaine Howard