List Of Plants To Use For Container Planting

Let’s talk about the plants to use for planting containers. I’ve put together a list of the plants that I use when I create container planting. They are grouped into three sections depending on use: thrillers, fillers, and spillers.

When you set out to create your patio flower containers, there are a few additions you can use to make them spectacular, not just pretty. Just make use of thrillers, fillers, and spillers.

What are thrillers, fillers, and spillers anyway?

The thriller is the focal point of the planting.

The fillers work to fill the space between the thriller and the edge of the container.

The spillers cascade over the edges of the container.

I’ve put links for each flower that we talk about to the Gardening Know How site so you can see the plants and blooms, and learn how to care for them.

Here’s the list of plants to use for container planting.

Thrillers

plant to use as a thriller red cockscomb or celosia in container — Celosia or Cockscomb

Thriller plants are the stars of the show, or your planting container. They are big, bright focal points you add into the container design plan.

If you are going to have the planter where it is viewed from all sides, the thriller goes in the middle of the planting. If you are going to view it from the front, the thriller is placed in the back of the scenario.

Here is a list of some thriller plants that I use when creating my patio containers.

Asters – daisy-like perennials with star-shaped flowers

Astilbe – glossy foliage with showy flowers

Bromeliad – tropical with colorful, long-lasting bracks

Canna Lilies – resembles iris with large flowers

Celosia – colorful, edible flower from Dr. Seuss’ books

Cosmos – one of the easiest to grow annuals

Dahlia – grown from a tuber, large and colorful

Dracaena – dramatic foliage

Ferns – perhaps you’ll see a sprite underneath!

Fuchsia – beautiful pink and purple flower pendants

Geraniums – a favorite of gardeners forever, nice scent

Lantana – easy-care, long-blooming

Nicotiana – flowering tobacco, tubular-shaped flowers

Ornamental Grasses – choose from many available

Papyrus – called the umbrella plant, grass-like habit with sprays of foliage at the top

Purple Fountain Grass – purple or burgundy foliaage

Salvia – tall purple stakes, loved by bees and butterflies

Snapdragon – many choices of colorful blossoms

Sun Coleus – stunning colorful foliage

Fillers

Plants to use for containers pansy flowers come in all colors yellows, reds, blues and purples — Pansies with Happy Faces

Use plants that have round or mounding growth habits for your fillers. They act to fill the area in the planting container between the thriller and the spillers. And, they surround and enhance the thriller.

Choose one that has a complementary color or texture to the thriller and will look nice sitting next to it.

Here is a list of some of the plants I have used for fillers when creating planting containers.

Ageratum – beautiful soft, round, fluffy blue flowers

Alyssum – fragrant blooms in white, pink, purple, pink

Begonia – attractive foliage and frilly flowers

Caladium – colorful foliage for a tropical display

Coleus – stunning colorful foliage

Cosmos – one of the easiest to grow annuals

Dusty Miller – soft, silvery-gray foliage

Gazania – or African daisy – has showy blooms

Geraniums – a favorite of gardeners forever, nice scent

Gerbera Daisy – bright, cheery daily-like flowers

Heliotrope – small purple flowers smell like vanilla

Heuchera – also called coral bells, has colorful foliage and flowers

Lantana – easy-care, long-blooming

Nasturtium – can be climbing, cascading, or bushy

Nemesia – resembles small orchids, flowers in purple, pink, blue, white

Pansy – the colorful flowers with faces on them

Petunia – long flowering period

Salvia – tall purple stakes, loved by bees and butterflies

Vinca – green leaves with small purple flowers

Zinnia – bright daisy-like flower heads

Spillers

plants to use for containers purple and white petunias — Petunias in Bloom

Have some fun with your planting choices. Spiller plants are planted near the edges of the planter and should be colorful.

They will cascade or tumble over the sides of the container as they grow. Sometimes, they will touch the ground and seem to anchor the pot to the ground.

Here is a list of some of the plants I have used as spillers when planting containers.

Alyssum – fragrant blooms in white, pink, purple, pink

Asparagus Fern – frilly, feathery foliage

Bacopa – cascades of small white, blue, lavender, pink, or coral red flowers – one of my favorites!

Calibrachoa – or million bells – flowers look like small petunias in violet, blue, pink, red, magenta, yellow, bronze or white

Creeping Jenny – evergreen also known as moneywort

Nasturtium – can be climbing, cascading, or bushy

Supercascade Petunia – beautiful color all summer

Sweet Potato Vine – also known as Marguerite

Begonia, Trailing – pink, yellow, orange, red, and white flowers are available

Coleus, Trailing – stunning colorful foliage

Lantana, Trailing – easy-care, long-blooming

Trailing Lobelia – small violet flowers, also available in white, pink, red, and blue

Rosemary, Trailing – aromatic and edible plant

Vinca, Trailing – green leaves with small purple flowers

Verbena – long-lasting blooms love the sun

Vinca Minor – also known as periwinkle, small purple flowers on dark green foliage