Real Life Window Boxes

 Many of the row houses in Philadelphia take the idea of window boxes and/or planters seriously. It's the only way to have any kind of front garden that anyone except the family can see. Most row houses have some kind of small backyard. A very few have an open deck or railed roof patio toward the front. Of course, the row houses vary from seriously in need of help to the one I showed you on March 1 that is selling for $4 million.

As you will see, there is often some combination of real plant material and plastic/silk. I think this is to be forgiven in the northern climate. People want nice winter decorations that will hold up longer than a few weeks.

This one is a combo, with the red berries and purple eucalyptus leaves being fake. All the greens are real, but cut.

This one seems to be all real except the blue berries.

This is a definite mixture, but I think it's really attractive, and has probably looked good for several months- a nice winter display.

Here's a mixed sidewalk planter that is nice.

The last two are all natural materials. However this first one has cut evergreens that didn't hold up so well. But the living ornamental kale is fantastic!

And this one gets the highest points from me because it is all natural and living material that will tolerate winter. I see boxwood, juniper, some dwarf hemlock or balsam (I think), a sedge, and ornamental kale. Not sure about the red berries.

Urban living is much nicer when there is plant material around. I appreciate that these homeowners took the trouble to add some beauty to their streets.

Today was rainy and nasty here, but I sure can't complain because we didn't get the ice that everyone north of us did. I worked some and fooled around a lot.

See PFS- Window Box and Lamppost