If it helps, these are the new garage doors. The arch is getting squared off and mantles being added over the doors.

Where do you live? I ask because if you're in a hot area, the black will have you watering your plants at least twice a day, as it will retain the heat and be very hot for the plants in them.

With 'granite grey' siding, I'd choose the white boxes. Your example certainly is charming!

Personally, I would probably do black boxes (adds presence) on just three windows so there's a "relief" and not just a straight horizontal line of boxes and flowers. If you do all five windows I would do white boxes...the black boxes might be too much black. Pretty house....your upgrades will be lovely.

I'm in CT but the windows do get quite a bit of sun. My property has mostly shade but the windows are high enough to be considered full sun. Good point about the heat. We will have a self watering reservoirs in the boxes but I know that doesn't eliminate the heat or the need to water.

I've done 3 boxes in the past (we usually have cheap plastic boxes but finally want substantial permanent ones). The problem with using 3 is that then my husband decides to fill in the gaps with tacky flags. (You should see the Mets flags he hung once!) So the last few years I've gone with 5. (But don't tell him that's the reason--wouldn't want to hurt his feelings-lol).

I was sure I wanted black but now that I'm visualizing the mantle over the garage which is boxy and white I'm thinking that maybe white is smarter. It might balance things out.

And thanks for the replies. Every time I read a "help me decide" thread I think 'why can't this person choose...it's so easy'. But now that I have sooo many decisions to make at once I understand the overwhelming feeling. These boxes will expensive and drilled into the siding. I don't want to mess it up :-/

I would go with white because I think that shows off trailing greenery better.

I would do 3 windows with black boxes. I think black is a bit more formal with more gravitas, if you will.

It's just more of a statement to me.

I have 3 black Mayne boxes on the upper windows of my brick house/black shutters.

I live in Virginia and the black boxes do NOT require extra watering because they have a reservoir system and design that encourages root growth.

Yes, it gets HOT here in the summer!

http://gomayne.com/products/window-box-collection/43-cape-cod-collection/72-cape-cod-4-window-box.html

Good luck with all of your improvements. I wish I could do all those at once!!

I agree with the white and trailing greenery and I just love the white against gray, but, I don't think you'll go wrong either way you decide, honestly. It's a beautiful home, can't wait to see pics when your updates are complete! :-)

Well, I'm a gardener, but when I look at your summer photo with the hanging baskets, planter boxes on the fence, and three window boxes, I see too much going on. Additionally, the four trellises aren't even in that photo so I assume there's vines too. With your new garage adding more details, there's no place "quiet place" left. I would do without the window boxes all together (I do like the 4th of July flags lol) as I'm not sure drawing the eye up there is a good idea when there's so much going on at porch level. I would deepen the bed in front of the fence and get my flower fix there. I know it's hard knowing when enough is enough when we decorate and garden.

can I ask what plant you are using that trails so beautifully?

I see you guys are as undecided as me ;-)

May_flowers ..the pic with the flowers is old. I stopped doing the fence when we started doing 5 boxes. And the hanging baskets haven't been done since I started gardening the following year. The bed has already been widened in the front. The trellises are not going back up (clematis vines have been moved). The fence is coming down too. I agree that would all be too much. This doesn't even show my acre of land with over 100 Japanese maple and more than 100 hydrangeas! I only posted that pic to demonstrate what my hubby does when I leave out the 2 boxes.

I'm getting prices on finishing the porch and steps with either a stone or a brick veneer. If it doesn't put us too far over budget we are doing that too. The entire front will look different. The only flowers at the house will be in the window boxes. Bulbs in spring, annuals in summer, and some kind of Christmas arrangement to replace the giant wreaths my husband puts up there every year.

Scrappy25 those boxes are petunias with vinca vines. This was early in the season. They get massive if you stay on top of watering and feeding. I am trying to find a pic to show but can't remeber where online I stored them.

I can't do annuals like that anywhere else bc of the deer. I've given up fighting with them everywhere else. They even eat begonias around here. They are awful.

I think black will look the best for two reasons. One, it will elongate the windows and two, it will showcase the flowers more.

Thanks for the help everyone. I went ahead and ordered them in white. But only bc I'm still unsure. They can be painted (which is what they do if I order the black).

I am going to try them on the house in white but if I am not happy I will take them down and have them painted. I think this is the safest way.

I'll post some pics when done. We are scheduled to have it all done in June. There are 3 jobs in front of mine right now.

Now to order new lights for the house....another difficult chore. Oy vey!

We're planting our boxes today. I do red geraniums to anchor the middle (very hardy, resistant and huge color bomb), flanked by white impatience and fronted by flowing ivies.

I think white will be lovely.

I have a trick for planting flower boxes that may or may not work for you. I put each plant in an individual plastic pot that fits the inside of the flower box. Once all the pots are nestled into the box I top with spanish moss to hide the pots and help with water loss. Then when a plant doesn't make it thru the summer, I just pull that pot out and pop in another. It also really helps to preserve the boxes (mine were made of wood).

Beautiful! Thank you for updating.

Perfect. I love your choice.

It's all beautiful! Those garage doors are great! And the flower boxes perfect in white I think. When I lived in the north I loved Bacopa and Million Bells Petunias in my boxes. They just seemed to last and look good forever. You have a beautiful home. Enjoy!

Your house looks beautiful! Enjoy!

That looks wonderful! I do love window boxes!