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

[BetterHensandGardens]

I've used the "thriller, filler, and spiller" concept for creating container plantings for a long time (just did a post on how the concept works here: http://www.betterhensandgardens.com...ntainer-plantings-thrillers-fillers-spillers/ ) and wondered what other "tricks" everyone might use for creating great looking container plantings?

Or, what combinations of plants have worked well together. I've used the spike dracena, dusty miller, diamond frost euphorbia, lobelia, potato vine combination before and liked how it turned out - actually I think it's hard to go wrong with that combo. Are there other foolproof combos that are popular?

 

[NwMtGardener]

Ah, i've never heard it called the "thriller, filler, and spiller" method before, but thats definitely what i do in my hanging baskets! I'll take some pics of the ones on my front porch later - they have a spikey annual grass-like thing ( forget the name...), BLACK petunias with a touch of yellow, which i think are so cool, called Ghost, and parrotbeak traily foliage with red flowers. Love how they turned out this year!!

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

That combo does sound great, can't wait to see the pics! Especially the BLACK petunias - those I've not seen yet.

 

[digitS']

. . . I've used the spike dracena, dusty miller, diamond frost euphorbia, lobelia, potato vine combination before and liked how it turned out - actually I think it's hard to go wrong with that combo. Are there other foolproof combos that are popular?

It does sound (and look) like good choices!

I've used the dracena, dusty miller, and lobelia, with annual flowers like petunias or pansies a number of times! It did seem foolproof (and I stand as an example of that).

Steve

 

[lesa]

I love lobelia- they are just the prettiest! If you knew how many of them I have killed- I would be kicked off the gardening forum! Last year I bought 2 gorgeous hanging baskets of them- and actually kept them alive!!! I had them hanging under a trimmed cedar tree. I'm guessing they were getting too much sun, in previous years.
Ornamental millet makes a cute "thriller" too. I got kind of tired of spikes. In the containers by my front door (that I usually do the combo's in) I planted Eugenia Topiary's this year. Something a little different for me.

 

[journey11]

Thanks for the informative article, BHG! The chart was really helpful. I did one container planting this year, a first for me, but I failed to put much thought into it. Basically I found some pretty black sweet potato vines...decided I must have some...and went from there. I don't have a "thriller" in my pot. That's the problem!

 

[thistlebloom]

I did two today to flank an entry, had to remove what we had chosen a few weeks ago (fuschias, sweet potato vine, mini begonia and two other things I can't remember, because of some weird fungal thing that was slowly killing each plant off ) and after I sterilized the pot and added new soil( from a different brand than last time) I put in 3 types of plants. I went with perennials, the thriller was
ligularia, "Cafe Noir" the filler was houttenya (sp?) "Chameleon" and the spillers were lismachia aka "creeping jenny".
I was pretty happy with the effect since containers are not my best usually. My customer is having a Big To-Do Party for 4th of July and wanted something a little dramatic.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

I love lobelia- they are just the prettiest! If you knew how many of them I have killed- I would be kicked off the gardening forum! Last year I bought 2 gorgeous hanging baskets of them- and actually kept them alive!!! I had them hanging under a trimmed cedar tree. I'm guessing they were getting too much sun, in previous years.
Ornamental millet makes a cute "thriller" too. I got kind of tired of spikes. In the containers by my front door (that I usually do the combo's in) I planted Eugenia Topiary's this year. Something a little different for me.

I love the lobelia's too but they do appreciate some shade adn I know what you mean about the spikes, they are pretty predictable and boring. Ornamental millet and Eugenia Topiary's sound interesting, what is Eugenia Topiary's?

 

[lesa]

I'll take a pic tomorrow-and show you. It is a 3 tiered topiary from Australia. Kind of neat.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

I did two today to flank an entry, had to remove what we had chosen a few weeks ago (fuschias, sweet potato vine, mini begonia and two other things I can't remember, because of some weird fungal thing that was slowly killing each plant off ) and after I sterilized the pot and added new soil( from a different brand than last time) I put in 3 types of plants. I went with perennials, the thriller was
ligularia, "Cafe Noir" the filler was houttenya (sp?) "Chameleon" and the spillers were lismachia aka "creeping jenny".
I was pretty happy with the effect since containers are not my best usually. My customer is having a Big To-Do Party for 4th of July and wanted something a little dramatic.

That sounds beautiful, how about pics? We'd love to see