Window wells provide a space for plants to grow and flourish, adding a bit of life and color to your home. Not only do they make your home more attractive, but window well plants also have practical benefits, such as reducing air pollution and using up rainwater to reduce the chance of waterlogging. With so many different plants to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect one for your window well.
Window Well Plants
A large selection of plants are suitable for window wells, but the best are small flowering annuals or perennials that will provide greenery without blocking too much light from your home.
When choosing plants for your window well you’ll need to consider the climate and USDA zones where you live. Here’s a list of plants that grow well and look great in a window well.
Perennials
Perennials are long-lasting and are perfect for people who don’t want to have to replant their window wells every year. Some popular perennial plants include Astilbe, which has soft plumes in a variety of colors. You may also like to plant pulmonaria or hosta, which are both interesting and eye-catching.
If you reside in a colder climate, try planting ferns and add some geraniums for a touch of color.
Climbing plants
If you live in a basement flat, you can use a climbing plant such as Ivy, clematis, or a passionflower vine to line your window well. You’ll need to add some chicken wire or a trellis to the back of your window well for the vines to grow against.
English Ivy is an evergreen creeping vine with glossy, dark green leaves that help to cover bare walls or trellises. English Ivy does well in partial sun to fully shaded areas with average moist but well-drained soil. It is also a very salt-tolerant plant, and does well in places like coastal Florida (not just England).
Annual flowers
Annual plants can be added to your window well in the early spring and will grow well throughout the growing season. It’s best to choose shade-loving plants, as your window well probably doesn’t get much sunlight. Choose from the following flowering annuals.
Bergenia
Bergenia is a hardy annual that can be planted in the early spring and will last until the first frost in the fall. These plants have beautiful flowers that are generally long-lasting.
Coleus
Coleus is another hardy annual that looks great in window wells. These plants have lovely foliage and colorful flowers that make lovely background or mid-ground plantings. Coleus grows well in the shade and do well in average, moist but well-drained soil.
Fuchsia
Fuchsias produce beautiful, eye-catching blooms that are a bright pink color. They are the perfect addition to a window well and can be planted at the back of the well directly into the ground or in small containers.
Other shade-loving annual flowers that you can try growing in your window well include Perilla, Polka-dot plants, and Viola.
Succulents
You can create a cactus and succulent garden in a window well that gets sunlight for part of the day in warmer climates.
Aloe
Aloe is a succulent family containing many subspecies that can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 9 through 11. It features fleshy leaves with pointed tips that house liquid and small, tubular flowers during the summer. Aloe requires partial sun or light shade and well-drained soil. You also really need to keep on top of your Aloe watering requirements, as it’ll dry out fast if you don’t.
Jade plant
Jade plant is a succulent that’s said to bring good luck. It also is a plant that does well in a window. It has thick stems with oval-shaped, fleshy leaves that come in shades of green with red edges. Jade plants are a great housewarming gift as they are said to bring prosperity and can last 100 years. They can grow very large in time but can be pruned to keep it the right size for your window well.
Snake plant
Snake plants are hardy succulents that can grow in USDA zones 9 through 11. These plants have upright leaves with yellowish-white stripes that are stiff and pointed. Snake plant is best grown in partial sun or light shade with average, well-drained soil. It requires infrequent watering since it retains water in its leaves.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a variety of plants that you can choose from for your window wells. If you’re looking to create a natural feel in your home, consider using ivy or other climbers. If you’d rather have a finely manicured garden go with succulents and cactus.
Related: Plants for an Office With No Windows