Create a curated planter with dimension and visual interest.
Take a minute to dive deep into the depths of the ever-so-loved ‘Thriller, Filler, Spiller’ combo for annual planters. For those who are not familiar, it is a ‘formula’ that guides the gardener in putting together their annual planters. It allows even the newest gardener to create annual planters that look professionally crafted.
You’ll need three types of plants: thrillers, fillers, and spillers. They should all have similar watering and light requirements to ensure they will all thrive in the same container and conditions. There are two main ways to plant in your planter:
• Viewable from all sides | Plant your annuals starting in the center and moving outward.
• Viewable from one side | Plant your annuals starting in the back and working forward.
Experiment. Have fun. This is your time to get creative, use different colored flowers and foliage, and/or add and mix different textures. Let the true gardener in you shine. Use the Thriller, Filler, Spiller ‘formula’ as a guide when planting your annuals, but do not forget to put your own creative spin on every planter.
Thrillers
These plants are the stars of the show (or at least they like to think they are because all plants are the stars in our eyes). Thrillers will be the largest plant in the container and are the main vertical component. Your thriller plant will be the first annual you plant. Depending on where you are placing your planter and the view of it, you will either choose to plant your thriller in the center or in the back of the planter.
Fillers
These plants will be second in the planter and will fill in the space on the ‘ground level’ of the pot. Fillers do not have tons of height but rather are round and mounded to fill in areas of the planter. Depending on where you are placing your planter and the view of it, you will either choose to plant your filler surrounding the entire perimeter of your thriller or in front of the thriller midway between the edge of the planter and the thriller plant.
Spillers
The final annual plant you’ll be planting are the spillers. Spillers are trailing plants that will fall over the rim of the planter. Depending on where you are placing your planter and the view of it, you will either choose to plant your spiller in front of your filler plants or all along the rim of the planter itself, surrounding the filler plants.
If you’re interested in what we used in our planter:
Juncas Grass
Main Thriller
Even though this grass is the same height, if not a little shorter than the Salvia, it will grow much taller and become the main thriller.
Salvia – Sallyfun Blue Emotion
Secondary Thriller/Filler
You could substitute Salvia as the main thriller since it has a lot of vertical height. With the Juncas Grass already a vertically prominent plant in this planter, the Salvia is the secondary thriller (or filler).
Eucalyptus – Baby Blue
Filler
Even though Eucalyptus sweeps and trails, it will start to fill the planter and intertwine itself throughout the other plants rather than fall over the rim as a spiller would.
Calibrachoa – MiniFamous Neo White
Spiller
These Calibrachoa will get around 6 inches tall, creating some ‘fill’, but will primarily spill over the sides of the planter with its gorgeous white trailing flowers.
Vinca Vine – Variegated
Spiller
