Late Winter Window-box

Designing an outdoor window-box in the first week of March is a challenging exercise. It's still not quite warm enough to use cold hardy annuals like pansies, and not close enough to Christmas to get away with evergreens.  Not to mention, that by early March, most of the dirt in the Northeast was turned into a solid block of ice weeks ago.

My first idea was to use red-twigged dogwood branches to make a natural sculpture but when I arrived at US Evergreens,  my tune quickly changed.  I had totally forgot that the end of winter is the reign of the mighty Willow!

Since willow is one of the first things to bloom in the NE garden, it's furry little buds can handle a little cold weather; perfect for a late winter window-box display. I purchased some pussy willow, and corkscrew willow and carted them off to the subway.

Once at the Prospect Heights location I assessed the situation.  There was a sad looking window-box and, as suspected, it's dirt was frozen solid.  

After pouring several lobster pots full of boiling water in the box, I was able to set to work. I cut the corkscrew willow short and used it to make a little fence around the taller pussy willow.   I am pleased with the outcome. What do you think?

I'm hoping that the willow will leaf-out in the spring...if it ever gets here.