Dave Miller
Across the country, window boxes filled with fillers, refreshers and spills are raising the bar for prevention—and maybe even inspiring a little envy from neighbors when passers-by stop and take notice.
“‘Wow’ was a phrase we heard a lot,” said founder Sue Schneider, explaining how the WOW Windowboxes business made its name.
Schneider went from sharing his window boxes with friends and family to serving residential and commercial customers.
Now the concept has reached the Harrisburg area, thanks to Dave Miller. The Susquehanna Township resident, who grew up in Pennsylvania before spending time in San Francisco, recently launched a local franchise.
“I had been doing commercial advertising for 20 years and I wanted to create something tangible and local,” he said.
Many people assume that the service is seasonal, but Miller says that’s not the case.
“The beauty of it is that it’s year-round,” he said.
Each installation includes a smart watering system that connects to the homeowner’s outdoor spigot.
He returns in a quarter to change fields. In the spring, he may bring pansies. Summer preparations vary according to the sunlight of the house. For houses with full sun, planting can include vinca and potato vine, while houses with shade can have begonias, impatiens, coleus and creeping jenny.
In the fall, Miller adds seasonal elements like pumpkins, lilies and vintage ornaments. During the winter, remove the irrigation system and replace the displays with things like faux garland, wreaths, magnolia leaves and fresh greenery.
Miller believes services like this shouldn’t be limited to larger urban areas.
“Big cities have this service, so why not Harrisburg?” he said.
The Great Way
Customers can customize their apps according to their preferences. Some choose to skip the season, while others enjoy year-round shows.
“We send out a quarterly email to keep people up to date,” Miller said.
The price is determined by the foot.
Homeowners can choose window boxes in the colors they like. Standard options include black or white, but customers can choose any color from the Sherwin Williams palette to match their home decor.
There are many types of architecture, including traditional, English, mission and modern architecture. Some buyers choose corbels – decorative window brackets that are placed under the planters to add support and visual interest.
The boxes themselves are made from PVC, which resists the weather and imitates the appearance of painted wood while resisting rotting, fighting and insect damage.
Amy Tobin remembers the frustration of storing her window boxes.
He said: “It would take forever for the young plants to fill up. Then we would leave, and they would die.
When Tobin heard about WOW Windowboxes, he liked the fact that arrangements start with mature plants and a record of whether the house sits in the sun or shade.
He now has boxes in his home and theater and says he often gets compliments. Tobin also likes the company to plant on time.
“If I need to use the spigot for something, there’s a blade we use that makes it easy, and it’s easy to turn off the sprinkler if it’s cold,” he said.
Currently, Miller’s goal is to grow the business sustainably while helping homeowners improve the appearance of their properties in central Pennsylvania.
His dream project? Watering and planting window boxes at the Governor’s House every season.
“That would be great and it would make a big difference,” Miller said.
Until then, hope to see more window boxes popping up all over the place.
He said: “We’re proud to have houses here too—not just in the big cities. We also have century-old houses here that can benefit from the ‘WOW’ factor and maybe even attract neighbors.”
For more information on WOW Windowboxes, visit www.wowwindowboxes.com.
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