A few plants for a modern and cool aesthetic. Clapham window boxes Nov 2025
This week our garden maintenance team has been planting window boxes for a client in clapham suitable for November/December that will last through Christmas and beyond. It was important to complement the planting in the front garden of their smart south-facing victorian terraced property. We were after a cool, architectural, and sophisticated look that blended in with the textures and pale tones of the main garden (think Calamagrostis, Ballota, and Artemisia silvers). We focussed on structure and density over fleeting flowers. Eventually settled on a cool, toned, elegant palette with lots of deep green, crisp white, and silver.
Final picks use texture (sedge vs. broadleaf) and a refined, limited palette (deep green and crisp white/cream) to provide a sophisticated winter display that echoes the white and silver hues already present in the customer's summer and perennial planting, contrasts beautifully with the architectural forms of their dormant grasses and provides a seasonal break from the vibrant blues and purples of summer borders. The window box look is intentional, contemporary, and perfectly aligned with the elegant, textural planting style established in the front garden.
Final Candidates:
🌿 Skimmia japonica: Solid, structural evergreen
🌾 Carex oshimensis 'Everest': Ties in the light, weeping texture of the garden grasses and spills over the edge
✨ Euonymus (Variegated): For bright fill and creamy-white margins that link to the lighter perennials
🤍 Helleborus niger & Cyclamen The essential low-level blooms of white and pink that thrive in the cold
Planning ahead - what do with the plants when its time for a seasonal change-over?
The Skimmia and Euonymus are shrubs, they can be enjoyed for 1-2 seasons, and then transplanted into a larger container or a permanent spot in the garden. The Carex can also be divided or moved to the ground once it becomes too dense. For the elegant Helleborus niger, once the window box needs its spring change they can be transplanted into a permanent, sheltered spot in the back garden's shady border. The smaller Cyclamen can be kept in a pot or naturalised in a cool garden spot.
Happy Gardening, Andres 🍂🌱 Nov 2025
