Scenario 1: Jessica lives in a sky rise apartment in the big city. Not only does she not have a backyard or garden space, but she is also on the 30th floor.

Scenario 2: Matthew has a condo in the suburbs and a decent size front lawn. The problem is, the front of his home faces West and so he only receives the weak, late day sunshine, which is not strong enough for the sun-seeking plants he prefers.

Scenario 3: Liz owns a beautiful ranch style house just outside the city limits. She has ample land for planting, but her close proximity to the woods means lots of critters running around. Every time she goes to plant seeds, she finds her holes dug up by rabbits and squirrels.

Do any of these situations sound familiar? Even if you can't relate their plight, consider the convenience of planter boxes. These rectangular shaped wood or metal boxes are made to run the length of a window and secure tightly to window frames. Other types are free-standing and so can be placed and moved around the backyard as needed. Most models of planter boxes also come with a simple drainage system so there's no worry of flooding or growing too heavy. Perfect for colorful blooms, small vegetables and herbs, planter boxes replicate the luxury of gardening, just on a smaller scale.

In the first scenario, planter boxes are a great idea for metropolitan settings. Take any big city, New York or Chicago for example. You would be hard-pressed to find much green space to begin with in these urban jungles, as they're called, let alone room for anyone to plant an actual garden. Whether you're on the ground floor or the penthouse, anyone can attach planter boxes and enjoy fresh herbs and bouquets.

In the second scenario, many people run into the same problem of not having enough direct sunlight exposure where they need it to be. Can't move the sun best suit your garden? Why not move the garden, a.k.a. your planter boxes, to find the sun. Unless you're somehow surrounded on all sides by shade, chances are you possess at least one window that gets ample sunlight. Once you find it, just attach the box with simple brackets and your planting dilemma is over.

Finally, the third scenario is not limited just to rural settings. Many of us has suffered through pesky creatures, everything from raccoons to rodents, who like nothing more than to root through our trash and dig up our plants. And it is not just seeds at risk; saplings and new sprouts are at the mercy of hungry rabbits, so it's often a no-win situation. Until now, that is. Planter boxes move gardens up off of the ground and away from scavengers. And while you probably won't be able to grow watermelons and squash easily from the window sill, at least you can rest easier knowing that some of your hard work is out of harm's way.