Which Flowers Grow Best in Sun and Shade?
If you’re adding window boxes to your home (or patio containers), know which flowers are perfect for hot, sunny spots and which grow best in the shade. See our lists of the best flowers for sun and shade, and you can choose the right plants based on your window’s sun exposure.
Why Choose Window Boxes?
Window boxes are great for houses and apartments alike! Growing plants in window boxes put them at eye level, which gives a different perspective than having them in your garden.
From the inside, the plants will become part of your view of the outdoors. And from the outside, the plants and containers become part of the architecture.
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What Flowers to Plant in Window Boxes
Wondering what to plant? Petunias, geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, and begonias are good choices for main-theme flowers. Fill in with things like inch plant, ivy, euonymus, heather, or vinca, which will cascade over the edge of the box. Impatiens do well in shady locations. More subtle choices include coleus, heliotrope, and salvia. Window boxes look their best if they’re packed with plants!
Experienced gardeners can train climbing vines around the window frame for an ensemble effect. Connoisseurs may choose to add topiary forms as a focal point. Ivy or creeping fig topiaries or other identifiable shapes can capture the imagination.
Selecting Plants for Your Sun Exposure
Above all, the most important considerations are sun exposure and the way your window box faces. The leaves of shade-lovers will get scorched in the high light levels of a south or west-facing wall; plants that thrive in full sun will grow tall and leggy in a northern exposure.
Window Box Flowers for Full Sun
(for a sunny, hot, south or west-facing window)
| Upright |
| artemesia |
| dusty miller |
| lavender |
| marigold |
| miniature rose |
| opal and bush basil |
| ornamental pepper |
| periwinkle |
| rosemary |
| rose-scented geranium |
| salvia |
| Trailing |
| sweet potato vine |
| dwarf soapwort |
| ‘Homestead Purple’ verbena |
| nasturtium |
| peppermint-scented geranium |
| petunia |
| pink |
| prostrate rosemary |
| setcreasea |
| strawberry |
| sweet marjoram |
| thyme |
| Climbing |
| Carolina jessamine |
| golden hop |
| honeysuckle |
| jasmine |
| miniature climbing rose |
| moon vine |
Window Box Flowers for Shade
(for a shady, cool, north-facing window)
| Upright |
| astilbe |
| cardinal flower |
| coleus |
| English daisy |
| fern (maidenhair, tassel, Boston, asparagus) |
| garden heliotrope |
| hosta |
| impatiens |
| Johnny-jump-up |
| lamb’s ears |
| lemon balm |
| lenten rose |
| mophead hydrangea |
| pansy |
| parsley |
| snapdragon |
| tropical houseplant |
| wax begonia |
| Trailing |
| creeping myrtle |
| fuchsia |
| peppermint |
| clematis |
| variegated English or Algerian ivy |
| inch plant (tradescantia) |
| Climbing |
| clematis |
| trumpet vine |
Flowering Bulbs
Often overlooked for window boxes are foolproof flowering bulbs. Whether you do a fall planting of miniature daffodils, snowdrops, or hyacinths for springtime bloom, or you do a late-spring planting of lilies, alliums, or dwarf gladiolus for summertime bloom, be sure to tuck a few bulbs and corms into your window boxes for added impact.
Vegetables and Herbs
If you’ve got an accessible location, try planting edibles—plant herbs like sage, chives, thyme, and mint. Just open the kitchen window when you need some fresh herbs!
Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and kale mixed with marigolds will do nicely in a window box, too. Like flowers, they will need water every couple of days and fertilizer every two weeks. (Note: since a window box is just a breeze away from your living quarters, you might want to avoid aromatic fertilizers like fish emulsion.) Be sure to cultivate the soil regularly so that the water will penetrate throughout rather than just run off.
Wood, Metal, or Plastic Window Boxes?
There are many window boxes or troughs sold in garden centers that can be easily mounted or hung on a balcony or window ledge. These days, they tend to be plastic.
For a house, a wooden window box can easily be custom-built to fit the length and width of a windowsill, so wood remains the medium of choice. Its life can be extended significantly by simply using the box as a holder for a metal or plastic planter or several potted plants. Wood is also the easiest to mount to your house. A word of caution here—do not set the box directly against the siding of your house. Leave an inch or two of breathing space so moisture does not build up. Ensure the box is securely fastened to your house, too, as you don’t want a strong breeze to send it flying!
Tips for Window Box Care
- Good drainage is essential. Choose window boxes that already have drainage holes, or drill some yourself. It’s important that the soil not stay oversaturated, as this could lead to root rot.
- Use a standard potting mix from your garden center, or mix your own using soil, coconut coir, sawdust, sand, and a little bonemeal. Add compost if growing edible plants. Fill the box to within an inch of the top. It’s important to use enough good potting soil around the plants so they sit firmly.
- Water and mix thoroughly. Add more soil if it has settled, and water and mix some more.
- Make sure to water and fertilize often. Window boxes that are in full sun will dry out quickly!
- Don’t be afraid to replace plants that have finished blooming with others that are fresh!
Do you live in an apartment building or condo? See how to start a balcony, rooftop, or terrace garden!
Catherine Boeckmann
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I live in Danvers MA and my window boxes are subject to full morning sun and in the afternoon are completely in shade. What are the best flowers to grow full and lush until fall. I wouldn 't mind even taking them in for winter and replanting for next season in larger pot. We have a heating garage that is home to a lot of plants and they thrive very well in the winter months. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Rhonda Jean
We all want full and lush flowers until fall! Your best bet is probably to consider the shade plants listed above. Consider that the morning sun is not as hot as the afternoon sun, and just about all plants need some sun. And so it goes that if you put in sun-lovers, the morning sun alone is just not going to be enough. So look above; you’ll find lots of options.
HI! I live in zone 6a and have multiple window boxes in both sun and shade at every window of my house. Do you have any advice or suggestions for growing perennials in window boxes? I have not had success bringing any plants back year after year and it can get quite expensive to plant them new each year. Thank you!
There are a number of perennials listed above (yes, it would be helpful if that was indicated and if there was a link to each plant—we’re working on that). Some examples include lamb’s ear, astilbe, hosta, geraniums. It’s important to consider the specific needs of each plant: astilbe likes slightly acidic soil (around 6.0), coleus even more acidic (5.5 to 6.0), geraniums like it about 5.8 to 6.3, and lamb’s ear sweeter than all of these (6.0 to 6.5). To keep such plants thriving you could put them into the window box in plant pots and fill around them with sphagum moss or the like. The challenge of the plants in the window box, even in pots, if that they ae not protected from the harshest freezes; they are exposed on all sides, where as if they were in the ground, they would be —well—grounded. You could transplant them into the ground in fall and dig them up in spring. Or lift them from the window boxes (in pots, if you do that), and put them in a protected area (basement, garage). Do not abandon them; water them a bit every once in a while. Geraniums can be pruned to a few inches and brought indoors. Another way to keep your costs down is to start plants from seed, especially annuals. Hope this helps!
I live in North. Georgia Mountain. What do u suggest. I plant in them. Fall. Season. Perhaps something. Small. Kinda. Flower. Thanks for your. Help. Sincerely. Ted
I live in Wisconsin and our window box faces northwest. I've found that the best plants are moss roses as they hold up well in all types of weather. Plus they come in vibrant colors!
I live on the Atlantic Ocean, my window boxes face south and get full sun, I love color and hanging, what loves sun?
I have a window box that's east facing. I live in south central Illinois, it's in the low to mid 70's during the day most days now. I want to do a mixture of flowers and vines. I like bright flowers and my house sits a little ways off the road I want something that will be seen. I know that sweet potato vine does good but it can take over too. What is your suggestions? Thanks so much.
I always use sweet potato vines in my window boxes and love them. I am considering what else to include for west facing boxes this year. I am in Northern Illinois and wonder if you have suggestions for colorful flowers.
If your windows are west-facing, you’ll want flowing plants that can take the hot sun. Since sweet potato vines are trailers, perhaps include some colorful annuals for the middle such as marigolds or zinnias? Blue saliva and purple angelonia might look nice, too.
