How to Create Beautiful Container Arrangements

Container flower gardening need not be intimidating to those new to the garden world. In fact, we have a tried and true method for ensuring beautiful full containers and it just uses three categories. Thrillers, fillers, and spillers.

What are thrillers?

Thrillers are the big, bold focal point of your container design. This plant provides an eye-catching vertical element. Some examples of sun loving thrillers are dwarf evergreen trees, rosemary, and ornamental grasses. Some examples of shade loving thrillers are camellias, cast irons, and ferns. To choose the placement consider how you will be viewing the arrangement. If you will be viewing your container from all sides, the thriller goes in the middle. If you are viewing the container from the front, plant the thriller in the back.

What are Fillers?

Fillers are mid-size, mounding, or rounded plants that surround and enhance the thriller and fill the space in the planter. You can use one filler or opt for two or three different plants in your container design. Some examples of sun loving fillers are lavender, sage, dianthus, snapdragons, pansies, violas, ornamental cabbage, and mums. Some examples of shade loving fillers are coral bells, ferns, ornamental cabbage, and violas.

What are Spillers?

Spillers are splashy plants that cascade and tumble over the sides of the container. Some examples of sun loving spillers are sedums, creeping thyme, ivy, vinca, trailing snapdragons, and trailing pansies. Some examples of shade loving spillers are ivy, vinca, and creeping jenny

Using thrillers, fillers, and spillers removes the complication from container flower gardening allowing you to flex those creative muscles. Just be sure to always check plant labels and choose plants with the same sunlight and water requirements.