How to Design a Stunning Garden Planter Using the Thriller, Filler, Spiller Method

Whether you're creating a cheerful container for your front porch or adding a pop of color to your patio, designing a garden planter can be simple and fun with one of our favorite formulas: Thriller, Filler, Spiller. This classic technique helps you build beautiful, balanced arrangements that thrive all season long.

Step 1: Choose the Right Container

Before you pick your plants, select a container that suits your space and style. Make sure it has drainage holes—healthy roots hate sitting in soggy soil! Consider the size too: the larger the pot, the more room your plants have to grow, and the less often you'll need to water.

Step 2: Pick Your Plants

The Thriller, Spiller, Filler method is all about creating visual impact from every angle.

🌿 Thriller (Your Showstopper)

This is the focal point—the plant that stands tall and draws attention. It usually goes in the center of a round pot or the back of a container that’s viewed from one side. Thrillers add height, structure, and drama.

Thriller examples:

• Spike (Dracaena)

• Fountain Grass

• Canna Lily

• Upright Coleus

• Salvia

🌸 Filler (Your Middle Layer)

These plants surround the thriller and fill in the body of the container with color and texture. They’re mounded or slightly spreading and help tie the arrangement together.

Filler examples:

• Geraniums

• Petunias

• Calibrachoa

• Begonias

• Osteospermum

🌿 Spiller (Your Trailing Element)

These plants drape over the edge of the container, softening the lines and creating movement. They give your planter that lush, overflowing look.

Spiller examples:

• Sweet Potato Vine

• Creeping Jenny/Lysmachia

• Bacopa

• Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’

• Trailing Lobelia

Keep in mind:

🌞 Sunlight

Make sure your plant choices match your light conditions—full sun, part sun, or shade.

Step 3: Design & Plant

1. Fill your container with high-quality potting mix, leaving a couple inches at the top.

2. Place your Thriller first, then arrange your Fillers around it.

3. Tuck in your Spillers along the edge so they can trail down as they grow.

4. Once you’re happy with your arrangement, plant everything in and water thoroughly.

After-Planting Care Tips

To keep your planter thriving, follow these simple care guidelines:

💧 Watering

Container gardens dry out faster than garden beds. Check daily in hot weather—stick your finger into the soil. If it feels dry an inch down, it’s time to water. Be thorough! Water until it drains from the bottom.

*If soil has pulled away from the edge of the pot, water once and let the soil expand, then water again thoroughly.

🌿 Fertilizing

Container plants need regular feeding to stay vibrant. Use a water-soluble fertilizer every 1–2 weeks, or mix in a slow-release fertilizer at planting time.

✂️ Maintenance

• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new flowers.

• Pinch back leggy growth to keep things tidy.

• Rotate your container occasionally for even sun exposure.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with color and texture. Mix bold reds with chartreuse greens, or play with contrasting leaf shapes. Garden planters are a perfect place to show off your creativity!

Ready to get your hands dirty? Stop by our greenhouse or attend one of our planter workshops for fresh plant inspiration and expert advice. We’ve got everything you need to create a planter that turns heads all season long. 🌼