These window boxes show off the bright flowers of summer

Few devices give such attractive shows in such small spaces as window boxes. If you combine plants of complementary flower colors, textures, and growth habits in them, you can achieve stunning effects.

You can enjoy (and tend) window boxes as easily from inside the house as outside, and with regular watering and feeding at least every two weeks, you can keep flowers blooming from now into fall.

The three boxes pictured here contain annuals, but one also has permanent plants to keep the box from looking bare in winter. You'll find a good selection of flowering plants at nurseries this month. Perennials could be used for color, but their bloom season is usually too short to complete with annuals. When you buy, choose shades lovers for shady boxes and sun lovers for boxes that get full sun.

You can buy window boxes ready-made or build your own (see pages 90 to 93 o For water protection, line boxes with galvanized sheet metal or paint the insides with asphalt emulsion or wood preservative. For extra protection, add galvanized sheet metal flashing between house wall and window box.