Thrillers, Fillers, & Spillers - Fall

 
Thrillers, Fillers, & Spillers for Fall & Winter
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Thrillers:  They are the Star !!!!  Bigger, dramatic plants or hard goods, that give height, interest, and are the big attention getters.   They are usually tall, upright plants, with outstanding qualities: such as colorful foliage, or intriguing shape.   Many thrillers are architectural appealing.  At planting time, the thriller goes in the center of the pot … or toward the back if it is to be displayed in a corner or against a wall.

Fillers:   Fillers are a wide variety of plants that add mass to the overall composition, and surround and weave through the thriller.  Fillers play an important role, adding texture, color, and contrast ….. giving a pot a complete and full appearance.     Use a mix of plants for the filler job.   Use some with foliage interest and others with flowers.  

Spillers:  Spillers anchor the pot.    The main role of a spiller is to cascade over the side of the container, softening its edges and adding color tumbling toward the ground.  Choose spillers to echo or contrast with other plants in the composition. 

Keep Scale in Mind:   Be sure to consider the element of scale when selecting plants for your container.    Try to group plants using fillers that are roughly between 1/3 and 2/3’s the size of the thriller.   Also aim for contrasts in terms of color combination, texture, and shape.       

Thrillers               Fillers                    Spillers

Rosemary                          Swiss Chard                                        English Ivy

Blue Point Juniper              Flowering Cabbage                             Wire Vine

Euonymus                          Flowering Kale                                    Asian Jasmine                

OrnamentalGrasses            Pansy                                                  Coloratus Eunonymus

Holly                                  Violas                                                 Violas

Sedges                               Mums                                                 Honeysuckle

Twigs/ Painted or Plain       Dusty Miller                                        Trailing Junipers
Dusty Miller                                                     

Aspadistra

Boxwood

Camelia

Waxleaf Ligustrum

Nandina

Podocarpus / Japanese Yew