The Best Cascading Flowers for Window Boxes
What to Consider When Selecting a Spiller
How do you determine which spiller would be best for your window box? Answering the following questions will help you choose:
- Which plant profile would match the architectural style of my house? (Example: if you have a farmhouse, you might want your window box to look more overgrown, whereas a mid-century modern home might look best with a more restrained, streamlined plant aesthetic.)
- Which spillers would look good with the thrillers and fillers I’ve chosen? Think complementing colors (like coral and lime green) and adding textural interest.
- Are my window boxes going to be mostly in sun, shade, or a balance of both?
- Do I want to switch out my spiller with the new season, or do I want a spiller that blooms year round?
- Do I want a green or flowering plant?
- How much time and effort do I want to spend maintaining my window box garden? (For a zero maintenance window box garden, try fade-resistant artificial hanging flowers and vines)
Spillers for Sun, Shade, and in Between
Sun:
Calibrachoa (full sun)
Creeping Phlox (full sun)
Verbena (full sun)
Sedum (full sun)
Moss Rose (full sun)
Morning Glories (full to partial sun)
Creeping Jenny (full to partial sun)
String of Pearls (full to partial sun)
Petunia (full to partial sun)
Bacopa (full to partial sun)
Licorice Vine (full to partial sun)
Lobelia (full to partial sun)
Shade:
Ivy (full shade)
Fuchsia (full to partial shade)
Pilea (full to partial shade)
Bolivian Jew (full to partial shade)
Asparagus Fern (full to partial shade)
Vinca Vine (full to partial shade)
Nasturtium (partial shade)
Silver Falls (partial shade)
Sun or shade:
Sweet Potato Vine
Deadnettle
Wire Vine
These tips are great! I am saving this for the spring. Window boxes will make a huge difference but we definitely have varying light depending on what area of our house.
I love your list of window box “spillers” and the breakdown of sun vs. shade. Do you have similar lists of “thrillers” and “fillers”?
Love this advice! I’ve been looking for good ideas for both shade and full sun for flower boxes and pots. This got me just what I needed 🙂