Flower box on porch rail

Sunset, August, 1990

Flower box on porch rail Having no side yard can frustrate an avid gardener who wants to see flowers through every door and window. One San Mateo, California, homeowner solved her problem by building an L-shaped planter box that sits lightly on her porch rail.

Rough-sawn 1-by-12s give the box (built in two sections and butted at the corner) a substantial look. Because the homeowner didn't want to overload the 2-by-4 rail and needed only 6 inches of soil, she nailed the planter's 1-by-8 base just 8 inches below the box's rim (see drawing below).

Cleats nailed to the base of the box hug the 2-by-4 rail, while 3/8-inch holes drilled between cleats and box sides allow for drainage. To protect the wooden rail from moisture, aluminum flashing was bent around the railing before the planter box was dropped into place.