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4 Comments

Creating Beautiful Container Plantings (thrillers, fillers, & spillers)

creating beautiful container plantings Creating beautiful container plantings is easy if you understand the concept of using thrillers, fillers, and spillers.

I’m not sure my container plantings are always gorgeous, but they usually turn out pretty nice because years ago I learned to use at least one “thriller”, “filler”, and “spiller” when planting the container.

And if you’ve got room, throw in a “chiller” to make it exciting. I read about the concept long ago, but every year as I’m picking out plants for containers, it seems someone asks how I go about planning a beautiful container planting.

How To Create Beautiful Container Plantings Using Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers

These photos show a container that’s just been planted, and that demonstrates the concept. The planting needs to grow out to attain its full beauty, but you can see how it’s done.

starting container planting

Starting Container & Plants

The “thriller” in this case is a Spike Dracena. The thriller is always a tall plant which gives the container the visual element of height.

The “fillers” (I used two for this planting), are the Diamond Frost Euphorbia and Laguna Sky Blue Lobelia. Fillers should be as wide as they are tall and fill up the width of the container.

The “spiller” here is a Sweet Potato Vine. The spiller always spills over the edge of the container.

And finally, the “chiller” here is Dusty Miller. It’s a “cool” plant that will draw attention to the planting.

container planted

Container After Planting

This is a young grouping that needs to fill out; however, I think it’ll be quite beautiful once it’s more mature. There are other things to consider when putting together a beautiful container planting (colors, container, soil, site, etc.); but, this is the one thing that most helps me put together successful-looking containers year after year.

Container Finished Top View

Container After Planting (Top View)

For any blooming plants (as opposed to those being used for foliage), it’s also helpful to choose varieties that bloom from “planting to frost”.

The table below gives some ideas for plants that can be used in the different categories for sun or shade; but, there are hundreds of more possibilities.

SUN SHADE
ThrillerCannas, Cleome, Geranium, Hibiscus, Ornamental GrassesAstilbe, Coleus, Foxglove
FillerEuphorbia (Diamond Frost), Lantana, LobeliaBegonia, Browallia, Hosta, Impatiens
SpillerCalibrachoa, Petunia, Sweet Potato Vine, VerbenaCoral Bells, Fuchsia, Ivy
ChillerColeus, Dusty Miller, GeraniumBleeding Heart, Lobelia, Oxalis
That’s part of the fun, it’s really hard to go wrong with the “thriller, filler, spiller, and chiller” concept. At the Proven Winners website, they have hundreds of container planting “recipes” that use this concept to make it even easier. The link for that site is HERE.

Check out the beautiful container plantings you come across in your travels. – I bet lots of them use this concept! For ideas on how to build beautiful garden beds, read 3 Steps For Building Beautiful Garden Borders.

Finished Container Side View

Finished Container Side View

Here’s another example of a container planted using the same concept. It’s a little older, so you can see how beautifully the containers become as the plants mature. This one doesn’t include a “chiller”, but I still think it’s beautiful!

 


 

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Filed Under: Garden, Ornamental

About Lesa

Lesa Wilke is a homesteader and freelance writer who loves to inspire others on their journey to more sustainable lifestyles. She accomplishes this by sharing the skills she’s learned (plus support, advice & tips) while farming goats, chickens, honeybees, and produce.

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Comments

  1. Carol L says

    June 24, 2022 at 5:46 pm

    What is meant by “cool plant”?
    The others: thriller, spiller and filler are clearly defined, but not the chiller…
    What about building a food/herb hanging planter? What would be a sample of that?
    Thank you for a unique post

    Reply
  2. Julie says

    November 1, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    These are so beautiful!

    Reply
    • Lesa says

      November 2, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      Thank you Julie!

      Reply
  3. Valerie says

    May 11, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    Your containers are gorgeous. I love sweet potato vine too. I just planted 3 today to cover the fences in our veggie garden.

    Come back next week please to Green Thumb Thursday

    Hugs,

    Valerie
    Cottage Making Mommy
    http://www.lovingmyheartandhome.blogspot.com

    Reply

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