make a winter window box

Summer has passed but it doesn't mean that your window boxes need to be empty. You can use a window box or plant container to make a winter arrangement. Use evergreens and dried flowers that are left over from the garden. If you have evergreens in your yard wait to prune until the late fall or winter and use the cuttings in your arrangement. If you don't have access to evergreens, you can buy evergreens at a garden center. I was able to buy discarded evergreen branches from Christmas trees for sale from the local garden center for under two dollars. A commonly used item in winter arrangements is spruce tops, which are expensive and sometimes hard to find. I've seen spruce tops priced at $2.99 each for a bundle for $20 to $30. If you are on a budget this can be expensive. You could easily spend a lot of money using spruce tops.

For my winter arrangements I purchased four spruce tops for about $12. I also picked up discarded evergreens at the local garden center for two dollars, purchased a beautiful winter green bundle, and used materials from the yard or garden. I pruned dogwood from my parents backyard. If you buy dogwood it's about $10 for a small bundle. If you don't have access to dogwood try any hardwood branch clippings. Or use dried flowers or other materials you find interesting. This is your design. It doesn't have to look like something from a magazine.



This is a "functional" arrangement. I used dried flowers from the garden and oak branches discarded from my neighbor. Last year I made an arrangement like this. I used flower heads from purple cone flowers, heath aster, false sunflower, back eyed susan, and hyssop. The dried plants self seeded and in the spring the flowers spread. Throughout the winter birds feed from the seed heads. It may not be the most beautiful arrangement but it works to spread flowers in the garden.

The container on the left has a spruce top, white cedar, white pine, spruce, and oak branches. The container on the left has dogwood, white cedar, white pine, oak branches, and eucalyptus. To make this, put the dogwood in the center in a bundle. The placed in white pine and draped it over the edge. Then I used white cedar to break up the white pine. Then I added a sprig of eucalyptus and filled it in with oak branches for some added color.

Materials used: blue spruce, white cedar, dogwood, spruce tops, and white pine

Possible materials:
* Spruce tops, blue spruce branches, white cedar branches, white pine, and evergreen branches
* Evergreen branches
* Dogwood branches or small tree branches (lengths of 5' and under)
* Dried flowers
* Window box or container. Use containers from summer plants. Next spring add the soil to a compost or garden soil.
* Anything you find interesting, pine cones, wheel spokes, found objects, etc.

Instructions
* Use a container that already has soil in it. You can use containers from a garden. It's better if you can do this before the soil in the container is frozen. If it's frozen, bring the container indoors or to a warm place to soften the soil.
* Put dogwood, twigs, or tall items in the center. Dig a small hole in the soil to place twigs or dogwood. Use can use wire to bind the twigs together and place in the hole.
* Put evergreen branches in to the edges of the container.
* Fill in the rest of the container with evergreens and other materials.

An evergreen bundle from Mother Earth Garden (left)
White pine and dogwood (right)

Benny inspecting the materials

Two finished winter arrangements

Some how to resources and ideas:

Inside Out: A winter window box, Star Tribune

Winter window boxes, Cottage Living

Winter Window Box Ideas, ezine articles