Container Gardening Using The Thriller, Filler, Spiller Planting Technique
A huge benefit of a home garden is the opportunity to get creative with your plants and flowers. A great way to explore your creativity is through container gardening. Within these containers, you can put your design skills to the test with the change of seasons, or simply create one look for the entire year. It’s easy to change the plants within the containers, or you can add more plants as the seasons progress. Whatever you decide will surely create an inspiring, easy and fun afternoon for you in your garden.
At Proven Winners Direct, we like to design our containers using the Thriller, Filler and Spiller technique. This ensures a blend of textures, colors, heights and movement, which is always good to consider when designing any garden space. Read below to explore what makes a Thriller, Filler and Spiller, and how you can use this technique when you go to design your own.
- Thrillers are plants with height that add drama and a vertical element to the combination
- Thrillers can either be flowering or foliage plants or ornamental grasses
- Thrillers are generally put either in the center or at the back of the container
- Place it in the center of the container if it will be viewed from all sides
- Place it in the back of the container if it will be viewed from only one side
- Some examples are: Angelface® angelonia, Rockin'® Salvia, Graceful Grasses®
Once you've chosen your Thriller, next start choosing your Filler varieties.
- Fillers tend to be more rounded or mounded plants and make the container look full
- Fillers are generally placed in front of, or around, the Thriller variety
- Fillers should be placed midway between the edge of the container and the Thriller variety
- If the Thriller is in the center of the container, the Fillers should surround the Thriller variety
- Some examples are Diamond Frost® euphorbia, Superbells® calibrachoa, Supertunia® petunia
Lastly, you add the Spillers.
- Spillers are trailing plants that hang over the edge of the planter
- Spillers are placed close to the edge of the container
- If the container is going to be viewed from all sides, Spillers should be placed on all sides
- If the container is going to be viewed from only one side, Spillers should be placed in the front of the container
- Some examples are Silver Falls™ Dichondra, Superbena® Verbena, Sweet potato vine
Combination Recipe: Never Too Late
- Thriller: Unplugged® Pink - Salvia (Salvia hybrid)
- Filler: Supertunia Vista® Jazzberry® - Petunia (Petunia hybrid)
- Spiller: Mezoo™ Trailing Red - Livingstone Daisy (Aptenia cordifolia)
Decide where your containers will be situated and if they will be viewed from only one side or from all sides to determine how to position the plants in the container.
The examples below are suggested for 14-16 inch containers.
Now that you know how to create a beautiful container combination, shop our selection of Proven Winners® annuals and see where your creativity takes you! 💚
Questions? Email us at helpdesk@provenwinnersdirect.com. We’re happy to help!
