Wire Flower Baskets and a Winner!

I love window boxes and filling them full of 

my favorite annuals.   There is something so charming about window boxes, don't you agree?

I found several french wire baskets years ago and I decided to hang two of them the brick wall outside

 my kitchen window.

The wall is a dark brick fence that belongs to the 

house next door.   I've never liked the dark brick color so I 

 decided to soften the look of the wall a couple years ago.  I've tried a number of flowering vines with little success until three years ago I found that boston ivy would be the perfect solution.  It has no flowers but the wall of green foliage looks so pretty.    The ivy doesn't damage the brick or mortar and it turns beautiful shades of

 yellow and orange in the fall.

The added bonus is the vine produces little blue berries for the birds.  The vine is vigorous and has almost covered the wall entirely in three growing seasons. 

My neighbor didn't want me to trim the vine and it has grown over to her side of the wall and has had a cooling effect on her pool deck.  Her pool is surrounded by concrete and more dark brick walls.  It just gets so hot in the middle of July so the boston ivy has been a "green" way to 

cool things off. 

The wire flower baskets give a much needed pop of 

color to the wall. 

These type of "window boxes" are so wonderful because there is no wood bottoms to rot and they are easily changed with the seasons and are virtually maintenance free.  

I purchase new coconut hull liners each spring and fill them with a fresh premium potting soil before planting.

I have found that sun loving annuals like geraniums, lantana and verbena do very well and keep blooming throughout the season.

Last year I planted red geraniums but this year I decided I wanted to look at pink and yellow flowers all summer long. 

Thanks to everyone who left a comment on my 

previous post.  Congratulations to

Beth at Beyond the Garden Gate

for winning the $30 gift card.

I will email you today to get your address.

I'm linking with 

Cindy's Romantic Home
Show and Tell Friday