The Window Box Book

According to Halpin ( The Year-round Flower Gardener ), there are three types of window box plantings: romantic (celebrating ``lushness, delicacy, and sensuality''); formal (requiring symmetry and consistent organization of color); and those that take ``flights of fancy.'' Regardless of their gardening experience, readers can learn easily from this book how to design and grow a successful window box garden, from initially evaluating the site of the box, choosing plants, plant design and types of planters, to installation and care. Numerous plants are recommended, including bulbs, cacti and succulents, edibles and herbs; yet photographs focus repetitively on old standbys (geraniums, petunias, lobelias), and captions sometimes fail to identify everything (such as evergreen plants) pictured. The directory of plants at the end of the book concisely lists plants--but by botanical name, which will pose problems for novice gardeners--including plant height, type (annual, perennial, shrub, bulb), bloom time, color and cultural requirements. (May)