Lavandula stoechas, also called French Lavender, Spanish Lavender, or Butterfly Lavender, is recognizable by the conspicuous sterile bracts resembling extravagant ears, on top of the short dense inflorescence. Grown for their silvery aromatic leaves, the very distinctive flowers, however, steal the show with their pronounced “ears” sprouting from each flower head. This Lavender loves hot weather but is more tender (Hardiness 8-9) than other Lavenders.Flowering typically occurs from mid-spring to late summer. The recent warm, dry weather has been wonderful for roses, encouraging them to bloom profusely over the last number of weeks. To prolong their flowering as well as to encourage a second later flush of blooms, it’s important to keep deadheading any faded flowers. Always wear garden gloves and long sleeves when deadheading roses to protect your hands and arms from their sharp thorns and use a sharp, clean secateurs to help prevent disease entering the plants through the pruning cut. For the same reason, it’s also best to carry out deadheading on a dry, sunny day.

The ancient Egyptians were also great fans of lavender. Pharaoh Tutankhamen was laid in his tomb with a jar of a lavender perfume by his side. Busy Lizzies are a popular choice for window boxes due to their vibrant, colorful blooms and shade-loving nature. They are low-maintenance, grow 6-30 inches tall, and do not need much fertilization or pruning, making them a great option for novice gardeners. There are many impatiens varieties, including Bounce Violet, Spreading Shell Pink, and Bounce Pink Flame. Examples of succulents for window boxes include cacti, aloe, echeveria, jade plants, snake plants, and agave. Herbs

Lavender is a member of the mint family, and particularly grows in countries around the Mediterranean, although the plant can also do well in the cooler regions of Central and Northern Europe.

To improvedrainage, it helps to raise the soil level a little by forking in plenty of grit and sharp sand, however, this is not usually practical beyond a small ridge or mound: growing Lavender in a pot is much easier than raising the level of a whole bed! Discover more helpful information about growing flowers in window boxes. How deep should a window box be for flowers? Zinnias are excellent for window boxes since they provide a burst of color and attract pollinators to your garden. They come in various sizes, ranging from small, compact plants (6-12 inches) to tall, branching varieties (4 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide). Flowers with a main theme are best suited to petunias, geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, and begonias. Fill in with plants such as inch plants, ivy, euonymus, heather, and vinca, which will cascade over the box’s edge. Impatiens thrive in shady areas. Coleus, heliotrope, and salvia are some more subtle options for a more delicate look. For a window box in a cool, shady spot less likely to dry out, you could use any of the following: trailing ivies ( hedera), trailing fuchsias, parsley, mint, various ferns including species of Polystichum and Dryopteris filix-mas , vinca, ajuga, certain ornamental grasses such as Carex comans, begonias, Liriope muscari, heucheras, and the tough-as-old-boots but very pretty Saxifraga stolonifera.Marigolds are a popular choice for window boxes due to their bright, cheerful blooms and ease of care; they are relatively drought-tolerant once established. Deadheading (removing spent blooms) will encourage the plant to continue blooming throughout the season. Some plant food once a fortnight helps to keep the plant healthy, compact and richly flowering in pots and containers.

The essential thing is to cut all the new, green growth down to two or three buds typically in early September, around when the last flowers have faded.

As a qualified Aromatherapist, I know the healing and calming properties of lavender, having used it myself many times in treatments. It has the ability to relax the mind and calm the nerves. There are five types of plants to grow in a window box: annuals, perennials, trailing plants, succulents, and herbs. This section describes each type and gives suitable examples for window boxes. Annuals Choose a color scheme: Decide on a color scheme that complements your home and personal style. You can choose a monochromatic scheme, such as all pink or all white flowers, or a complementary scheme, such as purple and yellow or pink and green. Consider foliage plants like coleus or variegated ivy to add interest and texture. Most important: water thoroughly in dry weather for the first growing season. Soak the ground, and then let the soil almost dry out before watering again. On the downside, impatiens are susceptible to downy mildew, a fungal disease that can cause the leaves to turn yellow and the plant to die off. To prevent this, it’s important to space out the plants in the window box to encourage good air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and remove any infected plants as soon as possible. 2. Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides)

Shade garden: Create a cool, shady retreat with shade-loving plants such as impatiens, ferns, and hostas. Add texture with variegated foliage or trailing plants like ivy. There are different approaches to pruning, which is necessary to keep your lavender dense and beautiful.Ideally, all your window boxes should have drainage holes in them, but many on the market do not, in which case it's advisable to line the bottom of the window box with gravel, or chips from a broken terracotta pot to prevent water logging in the soil.Or, safely drilling a few holes in the bottom.