Okay, so I’ve been wanting to spruce up my basement window wells for, like, ever. They were just these boring, gray concrete holes. Super depressing, right? I finally decided to tackle it and plant some stuff down there. Here’s how it went down.
Figuring Out What to Plant
First, I had to figure out what the heck would even survive down there. It’s not exactly a sun-drenched paradise. I did some digging (pun intended!) and found out that shade-loving plants are the way to go. I also learned that I needed to pay attention to how much moisture the well gets. Mine tend to stay pretty dry, so I needed plants that could handle that.
Prepping the Window Well
Before I could even think about planting, I had to clean those suckers out. Years of leaves, dirt, and who-knows-what-else had piled up. I grabbed my gloves and a trusty trowel and got to work. It was kinda gross, not gonna lie. I even found a couple of dead bugs. Eww.
Important note: make sure the drainage is good, so adding some stones before other steps
- Grab a shovel and some work gloves.
- Shovel out all the leaves, dirt, and gunk.
- Make sure your window well has good drainage!
- Toss in a layer of gravel for good drainage.
Planting Time!
I picked up some hostas, ferns, and a few impatiens for a pop of color. I made sure to loosen the soil at the bottom of the well, then I carefully arranged the plants. I wanted it to look kinda natural, not too perfectly spaced out. After I got them all in, I gave them a good watering.
The Big Reveal
Honestly, it made a HUGE difference! The window wells went from drab to fab. Now, when I look out my basement windows, I see greenery instead of concrete. It’s way more cheerful. Even the spiders seem happier, I am seeing more webs(Just Kidding)!
I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out. It wasn’t a super difficult project, and it made a big impact. If you’ve got some sad-looking window wells, I totally recommend giving this a try!
