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Fastening and fitting window-boxes in your Japanese garden requires raising the base of the trough at the front in order to:
• Counteract the slope of the sill and allow leveling of the garden.
• Increase the level of the Japanese garden to ensure maximum visibility from the inside of the room. Ideally, a window-box should be built-in, during the construction of the house. However, one can attach a prefabricated trough to the wall by strong angle brackets.
It is essential that window-boxes and all the fittings are completely secured, especially when the window is above the ground floor level or hanging over a public way. The weight of the Japanese garden is usually sufficient to hold it in proper position but necessary precautions should be taken. The fastenings can be permanent of nature, provided an outside box is used. It should be made in such a manner that a skilled person could remove it without any difficulty. Bolts and eye hooks should be imbedded in the concrete of the trough.
Weather guards can be constructed easily from lightwood and “windolite.” Though glass is considered a good choice for making weather guards, it poses difficulties in the construction and is also liable to break easily. The former combination is a transparent, lightweight material that is unbreakable in nature and can be used instead of glass. You can design the top of it as a tent or can even provide a round garden cover and provide a foundation of hoops of the proper size. The roof should be kept aslant allowing smooth drainage of precipitation. The cover should be designed to over hang slightly allowing fresh air to circulate.
A protective “Windolite” weather guard can be designed differently to fit any window-box and remains in position with the help of a simple arrangement of stiff wire struts. A permanent “window glasshouse” is most beneficial for apartment dwellers and those who do not have outdoor facilities. The shape of a glasshouse can be similar to a box, with a lean-to roof. It should be sturdy and generally, a synthetic or unbreakable glass is considered to be the ideal choice.