Thread: A new flowerbox?

Originally Posted by Deck Ape

Got a g.question for the skilled at flowergrowing. I'm building a house and want to build brick flowerboxes under the windows.

Flowerboxes are usually made of wood, and are fixed just under the sill of the window. Therefore as DD said care has to be taken as to what type of plants are placed in these boxes. If you are going to construct something in brick, then I can only envisage this as a raised flower bed built on some type of footing.
You will then have to ensure good drainage etc. Easier to go with the wood type.

Thanks gents,

Just want to plant some flowers DD, 30x30x x sounds like pretty good dimensions. Propogator I really want these integral with the house and the materials I'm using to build it. Drainage shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I'm going to look at it real close.

DA

Originally Posted by Deck Ape

Drainage shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I'm going to look at it real close.

Due check that as one in two houses with flower beds also have dark streaks down the front as the workmanship is so shoddy. Water comes through and leaks out.

Oh yeah, I've been just looking for an excuse to buy some waterproof additive for mortar. They have a whole section of chemicals like this at Homemart and I'm curious to see how they work.

Originally Posted by dirtydog

30 cm deep and 30cm wide is okay, as for how far below your window you need to decide on what you are going to plant, ie bamboo and oak trees need about 6 to 15 meters, petunias 40cm?

Also depends on how much set back you get from the walls where you build them.
If your garden there is just a narrow strip allong the house, 30x30 sounds reasonnable. If you build them near the front and have a wide open space, you could increase that size quite much...

Thanks for the advice Sun, maybe I should build them a little bigger.

You typically go with hanging flowers, so you don't need that much space.

Personally I'd just nail some containers to the wall, somewhat below the window.

Good to know, tnx DrAndy

This house was originally built by a german bloke but it was a horrible boxy thing.

We tried our best to improve its aesthetics and found by adding the shown garden boxes dramatically improved its appearance.

Also found they were a great place to run the aircon drainage water into.

Make sure you add sufficient drainage pipes and the rising damp should not be a problem.

Great place to plant bougainvillea and looks great especially when they flower.

Just be sure you design enough steel re-inforcement and to support these boxes as they can become quite heavy and you don't want them falling from a great height.

Thanks Gents.

My own house is looking real boxy these days. The boxes will look a lot like Loy Toy's. Thanks for the drainage reminder, too. I'll have a 1m sidewalk all around the house and hopefully build something right under the bigger windows. Will post pics in 2035 when I've reached that phase of construction.

^i like an optimist!