Planting Up Pots: Thriller, Filler, Spiller

What is Thriller, Filler, Spiller?

Remove all the intimidation from container gardening displays with this Thriller, Filler, Spiller method.

Planting your patio pots can be hard, so we’ve made it simple and easy for anyone to make up the perfect container display this summer. So create professional looking container displays with these three basic steps.

Our simple steps include utilising the space you may overlook – height, add height to your containers to create stunning displays and turn your container into a focal point wherever its placed.

Thriller plants are the focal point of your garden. They are typically taller than the other plants and add drama to the space. Filler plants help to fill in empty spaces and add texture. Spiller plants trail over the edge of pots or hanging baskets and add a touch of elegance.

Don’t have much space or a rounded pot? We’ve worked out other ways you can create beautiful container displays with our diagrams.

Thriller

Thrillers are any plant with an upright growth habit, in some case you can provide a support structure and use a climbing vine as your thriller. When selecting your ideal thriller, consider the size of the pot you will be using for your container displays as shallow pots won’t demand much thriller height, whilst larger pots will.

Thriller not only add height, but also drama and a vertical element to your container, your thriller is the star of the container. When working with a large enough container, you may wish to add more than one thriller to really add volume, height and variety to your container display. Using trees, shrubs, or large perennials as your thriller can survive the winter in your area provides the added advantage of being a year-round container.

Our choice of thrillers are:

Cordyline

Canna Lily

Dahlia

Cosmos

Filler

Fillers are rounded, mounding plants that gives the effect of your planted container looking full and adds mass to the container. You can use a single place species or a mixture of several different plants. Using bright colours will tend to make your display look larger, while darker colours sometimes visually disappear in the shade.

Fillers tend to be small leaved plants that can be pinched back and will continue to flower or produce more foliage, so ensure you really fill the base of your container display to allow flowering throughout the summer. Not only will this add depth but also texture to your planted container.

Our choice of fillers are:

Fuchsia

Pelargonium

Petunia

Sanvitalia

Spiller

Spillers can also be used as Fillers in your container displays, as long as these spillers have a weeping or cascading growth habit allowing them to cascade over the side of the planter.

The perfect finishing touch for your container plant display. They provide a cascade of colour and often have a trailing habit. Spillers can be annuals, perennials, or even vines.

Look for plants that have a long flowering season and that will trail down the side of your pot. Vines can also make great spillers, but make sure you choose one that is suitable for the size of your pot and won’t outgrow it quickly. Use plants with interesting colour or variegated leaves make a strong statement to help create a stunning display

Our choice of spillers are:

Ipomea – Trailing Lime

Calibrachoa – Million Bells

Brachyscome – Blue

Convolvulus – Sabatius

Diagrams on Potting up

We’ve made our steps even more simple with our diagrams on how to pot up your baskets, pots and troughs.

Our diagrams include various sizes, pots and display styles for any space. With these options you’ll be able to make stunning and blossoming displays with ease.