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Dressing up a Garage Window

June 16th, 2010

I’ve always loved window boxes and have wanted a few for the longest time. We’ve never installed any, we’ve just lacked time to make them. This spring I decided that I’d at least like to dress up the garage window with some annuals in pots. Since we didn’t have time to make a proper window box, I had Mr Chiots move a shelf that used to house birdhouses from the back of the garage to the front window. Then I potted up a few annuals in a variety of pots from my collection. With a few minutes of work the garage window looks 10 times better. I may use this idea on others windows on the house after seeing how well this works throughout the summer. I’ll see how much watering needs done and how the shelf holds up to the weather.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it as much as a proper window box, but now that it’s finished I think I like it more. I love the little details with all the different shapes, sizes and colors of pots. It’s a great way to use all those pots I’ve been collecting throughout the years and was storing in the garage.

I filled the pots with a few different kinds of begonias. They’re perfect for this shady spot and they’ll bloom all season long. I may try to keep starts of these in the basement so I can save some money next spring.

For less than $10 in plants, I think this really dresses up the window on the garage! It makes me smile every time I pass by heading to the back garden.

Do you use potted plants or window boxes for added color in the garden?

24 Comments to “Dressing up a Garage Window”
  1. liane on June 16, 2010 at 5:51 am

    that turned out so nice. what a great idea.
    .-= liane´s last blog ..more nightwood ny and life =-.

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  2. Barbara on June 16, 2010 at 6:08 am

    Beautiful!!!!!!
    .-= Barbara´s last blog ..Busy as a Bee =-.

    Reply to Barbara's comment

  3. rcakewalk on June 16, 2010 at 8:19 am

    Begonias are some of my favorites, but I can never grow them. Yours look really beautiful, and I love the shelves!
    .-= rcakewalk´s last blog ..My Bravest Adventure Yet: Kombucha =-.

    Reply to rcakewalk's comment

  4. Heather on June 16, 2010 at 8:27 am

    awesome idea!! another fun idea for a window box is an old wooden tool box with the cover ripped off. I have one on my porch but I may have to find some room to do a shelf too… adorable!
    .-= Heather´s last blog ..DIY (cement candleholders) =-.

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  5. Kim on June 16, 2010 at 8:37 am

    I have also been wanting window boxes (though we’re renting until this fall, then I’ll be buying the house we’re in, so nothing needs to happen just yet), when I first saw the picture I thought the same thing you said… I kind of like it better! I love the eclectic charm it brings, funky and chic at the same time. Very cute, what a great idea!

    Reply to Kim's comment

  6. Dave on June 16, 2010 at 8:42 am

    I think I like it much better than a window box. It looks great!
    .-= Dave´s last blog ..The Garden Blooms of June (in Tennessee) =-.

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  7. Tree on June 16, 2010 at 8:52 am

    What a great idea. This is something I could do, with the left over wood and some shelf brackets, build a planter box…. not so much, right angles are supposed to be flush?
    .-= Tree´s last blog ..Neglected Duties and Burn Out! =-.

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  8. Turling on June 16, 2010 at 9:47 am

    I agree, I believe the shelf adds a lot more interest with the pots then would a window box. Unfortunately, at this point, we don’t have either shelves or window boxes! You may have motivated me, though.
    .-= Turling´s last blog ..Result =-.

    Reply to Turling's comment

  9. Sense of Home on June 16, 2010 at 9:48 am

    I have several potted plants, but no window boxes. I agree with you, I like the way the different pots look on the shelf as much or perhaps more than a window box.
    .-= Sense of Home´s last blog ..A Moment in the Sun =-.

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  10. pam on June 16, 2010 at 10:00 am

    I love it!
    .-= pam´s last blog ..PFA – A Public Foodie Announcement =-.

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  11. warren on June 16, 2010 at 10:17 am

    We have only recently started planting flowers at all…and they do add a nice touch. We used to have big beds in TN but it got to be a mulch+weed nightmare so we got rid of them all. Here in WV we are starting again with a more manageable flower bed…

    Yours are lovely!
    .-= warren´s last blog ..My daughter…the author =-.

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  12. Morgan G on June 16, 2010 at 11:57 am

    The soil here in suburban Southern CA is so poor that I mostly plant in pots and wine barrels. While I sometimes wish I had a veggie-dedicate plot, the pots work just fine and add some whimsy to the yard!

    I love what you’ve done with the garage window, might have to pull a copycat on you. : )
    .-= Morgan G´s last blog ..Guest Bloggin’ at IDD: Buttah =-.

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  13. Seren Dippity on June 16, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    I have a window box that I tried planting flowers in this year. I’ve had ivy in it previously. I planted seeds and now have scraggly plants that aren’t blooming. Very disappointing. Hanging baskets and window boxes are hard here in Dallas because it gets so hot, sometimes watering twice a day isn’t enough. Anyway, I was watering my window box the other day and a very upset little bird comes swooping out, fussing like mad. I took a peek and sure enough – a nest with 5 eggs!
    Best I can tell from the eggs it is a Carolina Wren.
    Here is a photo:
    http://myfolia.com/journals/87103-weve-got-company-

    Your window looks beautiful. Great solution.

    Reply to Seren Dippity's comment

    • Susy on June 16, 2010 at 4:55 pm

      My hanging baskets on the front porch are like that, I generally have to water 2x per day on hot days. I may not even put them up this year, takes a lot of water & time. I’m thinking since these are in the shade they shouldn’t need as much water, let’s hope.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  14. WiderSky on June 16, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    What a terrific idea – I’d been considering putting up a window box but this looks much better – easier to maintain and easy to change and update as the flowers die back… off to get some brackets!

    Reply to WiderSky's comment

  15. Lelo on June 16, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    I’ve been saying for years I wanted to put a window box on our garage window. This looks so great! What a sweet little row of flowers. It’s things like this that keep me loving gardening so much. Just sweet little things.
    .-= Lelo´s last blog ..Dear frustrated Pacific Northwest Gardeners, =-.

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  16. Kjirsti on June 17, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Stunning. I love your pots!
    .-= Kjirsti´s last blog ..Analyzing ones gardens =-.

    Reply to Kjirsti's comment

  17. Christine on June 17, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    This is lovely! Great idea.

    Reply to Christine's comment

  18. I Must Do This Again Next Year | Chiot's Run on October 9, 2010 at 4:47 am

    […] how I dressed up the garage window with my collection of flowerpots filled with a variety of begonias? They did really well all […]

    Reply to I Must Do This Again Next Year | Chiot’s Run's comment

  19. Edible or Ornamental +free seeds | Chiot's Run on January 24, 2011 at 8:48 am

    […] nasturtiums (also edible) and those window box sweet peas are adorable, perhaps I’ll get those to dress up my garage window! Of course I didn’t want to keep all these lovely seeds to myself, so I’ll be giving three […]

    Reply to Edible or Ornamental +free seeds | Chiot’s Run's comment

  20. Inspire Me Heather on June 2, 2011 at 8:59 am

    Now, ain’t that the sweetest thing? I just loved your little pots and linked this up to my window boxes post too over at my blog, well done!

    Reply to Inspire Me Heather's comment

  21. Beth on June 2, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    I’m so happy to find your blog about these today! I have had a window that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do..I have several cute pots with herbs and a kitchen window inside a screen room..I think they belong under my kitchen window..I love this idea! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply to Beth's comment

  22. Karina Andreasen on July 8, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    Somebody named Mis Flores on Facebook has stolen your picture of the flowershelf!
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mis-Flores/162681887182400
    Mis Flores has stolen lots of photos from many other.
    Thougt you wanted to know that!
    Best regards

    Reply to Karina Andreasen's comment

  23. Jennifer on March 18, 2015 at 11:37 am

    I found your ledge over on Pinterest a few weeks ago and I’m finally getting my own! Thank you so much for sharing this idea.

    Reply to Jennifer's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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