Creating Stunning Fall Window Boxes: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking to elevate your front yard with beautiful fall window boxes that will leave your neighbors in awe? Look no further! In this article, we will explore 16 diverse and gorgeous window box ideas to inspire you to create a stunning autumn display. From urban planters to charming garden themes, there is something for everyone in this guide. Let’s dive in and learn how to arrange the right plants for your region and the season to achieve a breathtaking fall window box that will last all season long.

Choose Urban Boxes

When it comes to creating eye-catching window boxes, urban designs can make a bold statement. Botanical Blitz, a design firm based in Minneapolis, specializes in outdoor floral arrangements that are true works of art. Their large planters on urban decks showcase a mix of lime green sweet potato vine, ornamental grasses, mums, coreopsis, and trailing needlepoint ivy. These urban boxes are a perfect blend of color and texture that will surely catch the eye of passersby.

Mix Different Plants and Flowers

For a vibrant and rich fall display, consider mixing different plants and flowers in your window box. Yellow chrysanthemums, dwarf ornamental grasses, and ornamental kale can provide deep tones of autumn, while small pumpkins add a festive touch. This combination creates a warm and inviting atmosphere that celebrates the season.

Go Green

If you’re a fan of lush greenery, consider a window box that incorporates a variety of plants and flowers. Q is for Quandie’s Linda mixed jester’s crown fern, green and white caladium, cut Annabelle hydrangea flowers, dried astilbe flowers, frilly ornamental kale, and a white pumpkin for a textured and visually appealing display. This arrangement is perfect for early fall and will last until the first hard frost (which may kill the caladium).

Find Tulip Substitutes

Since tulips don’t bloom in the fall, consider substituting them with trailing ivy and other plants in your window box. Pretty Pink Tulips’ Elizabeth updates her window box with mums and pumpkins for an easy and seasonal look that is perfect for autumn.

Use Fillers

For a balanced and visually appealing window box, consider using fillers to add depth and dimension. Hoosier Homemadeliz Liz likes to use odd numbers in her window boxes, with larger pumpkins and gourds in the middle, mum plants at each end, and dried hydrangea flowers tucked into a bed of hay and dried grasses. This playful arrangement creates a fun and festive look for fall.

Play With Color

Bria Hammel Interiors’ lavender purple and white autumn window box is a stunning example of how color can transform a space. By using chrysanthemums, ornamental kale and cabbage, white pumpkins, and pale gourds, they created a striking and elegant display that celebrates the season in style.

Use Your Own Garden

For a personal touch, consider incorporating plants and flowers from your own garden into your fall window box. Cottage at the Crossroads’ Jane and Leo Windham filled their window box with gourds grown in their garden, English ivy, creeping Jenny, foxtail fern, and annual additions of orange marigolds. This DIY approach adds a touch of charm and authenticity to your fall display.

Match Colors

Creating a cohesive color scheme in your window box can make a bold statement. Snapdragons, million bells, sweet alyssum, and purple pansies in a brick red-colored window box in Charleston, South Carolina, showcase a harmonious blend of colors that elevate the overall look.

Make It Whimsical

For a playful and whimsical fall window box, consider adding unique elements like mushroom-shaped garden ornaments, yellow-orange coreopsis, ornamental peppers, red-stemmed euphorbia, pimply yellow gourds, and cream and orange mini pumpkins. This fun and eclectic mix of plants and decorations adds a touch of whimsy to your autumn display.

Create a Charming Theme

Rust-orange, yellow, and lilac mums paired with deep purple million bells and a pumpkin create a charming and cohesive theme in your window box. This elegant arrangement celebrates the colors of fall in a delightful and appealing way.

Form Structure

Consider adding structure to your window box display by planting ornamental grasses that create a fountain effect. By adorning a bay window with three identical window boxes filled with ornamental grasses, you can create a visually striking and cohesive look that will enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Style Succulents

In regions with mild winters, succulents can thrive outdoors throughout the year. Planting a window box with colorful succulents in autumn can lead to a beautiful display that will grow and bloom into the spring. Varieties like variegated pelargonium, flower-like Aeonium, blue-chalk Senecio, and Dudleya can add texture and interest to your window box.

Assort Pumpkins

To add a festive touch to your fall window box, consider incorporating gourds and pumpkins in various patterns, colors, and shapes. Indigo Gardens and Design’s Beth Schelle places evergreens and arborvitae in a long window box to soften the look and create a seamless transition to winter.

Make a Statement

For a bold and striking window box, consider planting dark pink and purple chrysanthemums with tropical-looking leather-leaf crotons. This combination creates a stunning backdrop that will make a statement and draw attention to your fall display.

Layer Plants

Flo’s Gardens in Brooklyn uses a layered approach to planting their window boxes, with taller grasses or shrub-like plants in the back, mid-size plants in the middle, and smaller trailing or spilling plants up front. This technique creates a dynamic and visually appealing display that will stop foot traffic and leave a lasting impression.

Aim for Classics

Classics like geraniums are hardy plants that can live for decades with proper care. Prune spent flowers to keep your geraniums looking their best, especially in window boxes that are visible to passersby. A classic red geranium paired with yellow lantana and blue salvia creates a timeless and elegant display that will continue to bloom into early fall.

Incorporating these diverse and beautiful window box ideas into your fall display will elevate your curb appeal and create a stunning autumn showcase that will be the envy of your neighborhood. Whether you choose to go green, play with colors, or create a charming theme, there is no limit to the creativity and beauty you can achieve with fall window boxes. So, roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, and let’s create a breathtaking fall window box that will leave a lasting impression on all who pass by. Happy planting!