With the frantic pace of today's society, it is no wonder that many people feel that they just don't have enough time to garden. After all, gardening involves turning over a patch of earth, bags and bags of smelly manure and tons of mulch, not to mention an hour or two of daily weeding and watering, right? Well, actually, even the busiest person can find the time to garden on a small scale.

If you have been pining away at the thought of not having enough time to garden until you reach your golden years, why not create a garden in a window box? After all, window boxes can be installed and planted in just a few hours and they only require a few minutes of daily care.

Window boxes come in a wide range of materials and styles, so it is simple to find a window box that will look great with your home. If you have a rustic or country style home, you may want to buy a cedar or pine window box. For more formal homes, wrought iron window boxes or resin boxes that are made to look like expensive stone are ideal. If you are on a budget, take a look at molded plastic boxes. These boxes come in a variety of colors and can look quite nice, especially once they are overflowing with plants.

Once you choose a window box, you will need to install the brackets. Don't worry. This is a simple task that only should take ten to fifteen minutes. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions to be sure that your window box brackets are properly installed. After all, you certainly don't want your window box garden to suddenly fall to the ground because they weren't fastened right!
 
With the brackets in place, you can begin preparing your window box for planting. First, you will need to decide what type of plants you want to grow. If you long for a garden crammed with blossoms, then you probably want to fill your window box with flowering plants. If you want to enjoy fresh vegetables without breaking your budget, you may want to choose vegetable plants. For a person who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, a window box filled with herbs may be the best choice. Of course, if all you want is to see a bit of green, you can plant a few dwarf conifers, instead.

For a window box filled with flowers, try a few of these window box favorites. Geraniums have been a popular window box flower for centuries. Marigolds and petunias provide non stop summer bloom. Carnations, smaller dahlias, and pansies are also good window box choices. When you are buying your flowering plants, don't forget to add a few foliage plants for contrast. Foliage plants are plants that are grown for their leaves instead of their flowers. Some good choices are small hostas, Dusty Miller, and sweet potato vines.

If you want to grow vegetables, take a look at lettuce, cabbage, spinach, onions, carrots, patio tomatoes, peas, and bush beans. You may need to use a trellis to support your tomato plants.

There are many herbs that are ideal for a window box. Why not plant a themed herb window box? Oregano, basil and parsley are great choices for an Italian themed herb garden. Sage, thyme, and rosemary are perfect for chicken and fish lovers. If you would like to create potpourri, you may want to try lavender, lemon grass, and rosemary.

Finally, if you want a box filled with green, try mugho pines, dwarf Alberta spruce bushes, or liriope plants.

Once you choose your theme, it is time to fill your window box with plants. Mix a good quality potting mix with water retaining crystals. These crystals will prevent your plants from drying out too quickly and will make gardening in your window box even quicker and easier. Fill your window box  with potting soil, stopping several inches from the top. Carefully, place your plants in the box and fill in the empty space around the plants' roots. Then, tamp down the soil around each plant and water the plants thoroughly.

Position your window box in the brackets and get ready to enjoy your new garden. Isn't it wonderful that you actually do have time to garden, after all?

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