Flower Box Design
Flower Box Design
Embedded Files
"Design is coming to grips with one's real needs. The primary rule is that design is never done."
— Dick Powell, Industrial Designer
Pictured above: The design of my very first flower box holders consisted of 4x4 posts. At the top of each post was a solid iron bracket put in place to hold the horizontal boards to the top of each post. I did so with very large bolts — and I really wrenched those babies on! Much of this was purchased from the Avon (Ohio) Home Depot store.
Now, to be fair to all of the other lumberyards in town, I must say this:
Depending upon the type of board that I need, I often buy my whitewood planks from the Avon (Ohio) Lowe's store.
Meanwhile, I like the lightning department at the Avon (Ohio) Lowe's store and the Avon (Ohio) Menard's store, too. Plus, Menard's has a little food section of freezer meals right there and a bunch of other stuff. Buy some paver stones — and a frozen pizza! Isn't that interesting? I think the Menard's is the newest of them all and before they came to Avon (Ohio) I didn't know much about Menard's.
Look, all of these lumberyards are all great. In my mind, each one has a forte. Sometimes I stop at each one of them — in one trip — and compare. "Is this good? What about this? Look at that one!"
Aside from the solid iron components sourced from the hurricane tie aisle of the Avon (Ohio) Home Depot store, this design got the job done — with less material. I didn't need a ton of lumber. And it wasn't a terrible design.
However, as the years went by, over time, I decided to try something new.
Learn more in the text, below.
First, let me say this. I am not a mechanical engineer. I am not an industrial designer. I never attended art school for visual merchandising. That being said, I have learned a great deal from people whose own livelyhoods were mechanical engineering, industrial design, and visual mechandising.
Mechanical Engineer
Industrial Design
Visual Merchandising
I find all three of these career paths fascinating — although not one of these fields had been my own career path. I was advertising at Kent.
I learned just a bit of graphic design — enough graphic design to lay out a newspaper display ad. Probably not enough graphic design to create the next Mondrian. Still, I can appreciate all of that.
Fast forward to the year 2026. During idle hours. When it's time to "put the work away" and in order to relax, I sit on my front porch with a sketch pad and a pencil.
I ponder things that these designers had mentioned to me, during the time that I have known (or had known) these people.
Then, I think about various structures around me.
I think to myself, "Is this good design?"
Then I think to myself:
What do people think — when they see this design.
I mean, is this design any good?
Then I think to myself,
"How could I make this design even better?"
Over time, I have spent a lot of time asking these questions in various careers. I would go through a list of criteria.
In the context of display and store fixtures, the mannequin has long been referred to as the ultimate "silent salesman" because it demonstrates how garments fit, drapes fabrics, and visually communicates style without a clerk speaking a word.
Before that, during the early 90s I would work laying out newspaper advertising. Graphic design was not my major, however, I knew several graphic designers back at Kent State. We'd hang out all the time and we'd discuss design, art, and music.
As I was putting together those newspaper ads, I had to call-on everything that folks had taught me about type, rule of thirds, and layout. I'd ask myself "How does the eye track down the page?"
These considerations are similar for architecture and for landscape design. Again, I am not all-knowing. I do enjoy the pondering about all of these things — especially when my mind needs some sort of diversion from the day's events.
Progression of flower boxes upgraded for Q4 of 2026
Progression of flower boxes upgraded for Q4 of 2026
Above: The flower boxes you see pictured above are upgrades from what had been, until recently, a simple 4x4 post arrangement.
The 4x4 post design in the very top picture had a few issues.
Each spring, you had to get out there with a post-hole digger. You'd have to re-dig the holes. It was not impossible to re-dig the holes. Over time, that became sort of a pain.
Since there was no concrete in the the hole, when the flower box became top-heavy, then entire assembly would lean to one side. That would drive me crazy.
Today's flower box holders now consist of what is more of a table-like design. And when winter arrives, the table-like structure can easily be whisked-away. Then, the snow drifts will form in front of the white picket fence. Folks will gaze across the yard to see pine boughs and Christmastree lights strung across that white picket fence. Yeah it's Christmas. Once More.
Meanwhile, the flower box table installation is not completely done. You can see how I had tacked-on some poster board to illustrate future design considerations.
Check back for more details. This is a work in progress.
Update starting October 2026
Update starting October 2026
Solid wood planks have been added at the base of each flower box holder. Meanwhile a fascia board has been attached to cover the timbers that support the weight of each Garden Patch Growbox.
Then, the entire assembly has been re-painted in bright white fence paint.
Coming soon:
Coming soon:
"It's that time of year — when the world falls in love...."
"It's that time of year — when the world falls in love...."
Author's note: The Christmas Waltz is one of my personal favorites. The song is a timeless work of art that only gets better — with each passing year.
Why? Because with each passing year, you can sit down and ponder all of the changes, throughout time, itself....
Above: In a few months, the drifting snow (that you see above) will replace the marigolds in the flower boxes. Before the winter snow arrives, a string of lights and pine boughs will be draped across the white picket fence that you see in the photo above.
Meanwhile, everyone will be excited for the coming holiday season — especially with December the 25th — just ahead!
Christmas and New Year’s will bring winter storms and snow.
Drifts of snow will replace what had been, until recently, a collection of flowering plants.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse