I don't have all the answers, but I have a few. I used to have a second story window box, and I know your problem exactly. One thing that can help is a product called 'Soil Moist', it is a polymer that absorbs water and releases it to your plants root systems slowly. You mix it into your planting mix when you plant in the spring. You need to be careful with it though, because you can also drown your plants if you are not careful...see the link below for more info.

I have William Baffin too, you can prune it anytime. Cut the hips or leave them, it is up to you. Baffin is a tough customer, so don't loose sleep over that.

It is too early to worry about your hydrangeas...they are not early risers.

Good Luck, Helen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Soil Moist

As far as your Endless Summer, if you want blue blooms you'll need to get the soil ph down to below 5. Depending on what your soil ph is you might have to do a lot of amending. Soil sulphur would be a better choice than aluminum sulphate. I would also suggest fertilizer and Endless Summer likes a fair amount of water too. Now would be a good time to cut it back. Cut it back to green wood, most of the time for me that means to the ground. Hopefully someone else can help you with the boxwood.

I think a heavy mulch layer over the winter helps on the ES hydrangea. I use about 2 feet of leaves.

My limelight is just barely showing signs of life. The buds are very small, but I can see a little green.

Pruning boxwood now is fine.