Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers: 30 Best Plants to Grow in Containers

Spring, summer, or fall, container planters can be filled with flowers and foliage plants to enliven porches, patios, and walkways with color. A single plant in a container can make a statement, but if you’d like to create a professional-looking container garden that can rival anything you’d find in a gardening magazine, you will want to use three types of plants in your arrangement. Those plants are generally known as thrillers, fillers, and spillers, and combining them in a single planter can make your container arrangement look much more complex and refined.

A garden container plant filled with focal plants and spillers — Combining these thrillers, spillers, and fillers in your container plants will give you a premium, professional look.

While you can certainly experiment with other thriller, filler, and spiller plants, you’ll find some of our favorite picks in the list below. Feel free to mix and match these plants to create a container garden that’s totally unique to you!

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Thrillers

Colorful focal plants in garden containers — Think of "thrillers" and the largest plants and focal points of your containers.

Thriller plants tend to be the largest plants in container gardens, and they usually feature strong lines or colorful leaves and flowers. Both foliage and flowering plants can be thrillers, and these plants are usually the tallest plants in containers, adding vertical interest and a pop of color too. Locate thriller plants either at the center or towards the back of containers for the fullest impact.

1. Dracaena

Red-green dracaena in a container — One advantage of dracaena is that it has lower light requirements, so it works well on a porch.

Plant name:	Dracaena
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Dracaena plants are popular additions to both indoor and outdoor plant displays. These undemanding plants are prized for their adaptability, as well as their strong lines and striking leaf colors. There are several different varieties of dracaena that are available at most plant nurseries, but a popular choice for container gardens is the dragon tree (Dracaenamarginata).

One of the best things about dracaena plants is that they can grow in medium to lower-light areas, which makes them suitable for keeping under covered porches or in shady patios. However, while these plants can adapt to different lighting conditions, they should be kept out of direct sun as they can suffer from leaf damage in bright light. Once autumn arrives, dracaena can be transferred indoors as a houseplant if you want to continue to enjoy your plant through the winter months!

2. Millet

Red seed heads on millet in a garden container planting — Millet does double-duty as a plant that is edible for people and birds.

Plant name:	Millet
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Seed heads

Millet is commonly grown for its seed heads, which are edible for humans, and they also offer a protein-packed treat for wild birds. But millet is also a marvelous container plant, and its feathery sprays of seeds will add an interesting texture to any arrangement.

Most millet varieties grow between 1 and 4’ tall, making them suitable choices for containers. Pearl millet, however, is a larger plant and can reach up to 10’ high, so it’s not a top choice for smaller spaces. Millet comes in plenty of different colors, too, including the striking ‘Purple Majesty’ millet, which has leaves that are such a dark shade of purple they appear almost black!

3. Purple fountain grass

Purple ornamental fountain grass in a container — Ornamental grasses like purple fountain grass are not just for in-ground gardens.

Plant name:	Purple fountain grass
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Seed heads

Purple fountain grass is commonly grown in ornamental beds, but it also makes a fantastic and vivid addition to containers. This plant grows between 3 and 5’ tall, but there are dwarf cultivars that max out at around 18” in height. Plant purple fountain grass towards the back of your planter and delight in the fluffy seed heads that will form a delicate and arching backdrop to your lower-growing flowers and foliage plants.

4. Mums

A fall display of mums — Mums are a classic fall container flower but some varieties of mums will flower in spring and summer.

Plant name:	Mums
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

A classic choice in autumn gardens, mums come in a veritable rainbow of hues, including purple, yellow, and orange. But while mums are mostly used as a seasonal plant in fall arrangements, some mum species can also flower in spring and summer. Pair mums with other colorful favorites, like Swiss chard, for a cool-weather planting design that will be the perfect centerpiece for your porch!

5. Cane begonias

Upright cane begonia flowers in a container planter — Different varieties of begonias make good choices for different uses in container plantings.

Plant name:	Cane begonias
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Begonias belong to a very diverse family of plants that includes over 2000 different species. Some begonias are suitable for filler or even spiller plants, but taller cane begonias make some of the most spectacular and stately thriller plants you can find.

Some of the best begonias to use as thrillers are ‘Polka dot’ or ‘Angel wing’ begonias (Begonia maculata). These begonia varieties grow up to 4’ high, and they have showy leaves that are patterned with hundreds of tiny polka dots!

6. Dwarf sunflowers

Dwarf sunflowers growing in containers — It is possible to grow sunflowers in containers if you choose dwarf varieties.

Plant name:	Dwarf sunflowers
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Most sunflowers are massive plants that are far too large for container gardens. However, if you grow dwarf sunflower varieties like ‘Dwarf Sunspot’ and ‘Teddy Bear,’ you can get all of the benefits of full-sized sunflowers but in a much smaller package.

Dwarf sunflowers generally grow between 2 and 3’ tall, although some varieties can stay under 1’ in height. Tiny but mighty dwarf sunflowers are highly attractive to pollinators like bees, and they make fabulous cut flowers too!

7. Dwarf hibiscus

White and pink hibiscus flowers — Hibiscus are also available in container-worthy dwarf sizes.

Plant name:	Dwarf hibiscus
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Like sunflowers, most hibiscus plants grow quite large; however, dwarf hibiscus plants only grow about 2 to 3’ tall. These plants are every bit as alluring as full-grown hibiscus plants, with their distinctly tropical blooms that come in almost every color you could want. Beyond their beauty, some hibiscus flowers are edible, and they can be added to a refreshing summer lemonade or baked into desserts and other sweet treats!

8. Mandevilla

Pink Mandevilla flowers — Mandevilla will grow as a perennial in zones colder than zone 10.

Plant name:	Mandevilla
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Also known as Dipladenia or the rock trumpet, mandevilla plants have been cultivated since at least the 1840s, but they are native to the Americas. These flamboyant plants feature flashy flowers in red, pink, or white, which are highly attractive to hummingbirds, as well as other pollinators. While mandevilla grows perennially in zones 10 and 11, it is kept as an annual in cooler spots, and it’s sure to be the star of any container garden.

9. Canna lily

Yellow and orange spotted canna lilies — Canna lilies lend a tropical feel to container planters.

Plant name:	Canna lily
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Canna lilies are another bold plant choice, which will add a lavish and tropical feel to planters, especially when paired with other colorful plants like fuchsia and heliotropes. Growing as perennials from zones 8 to 11, canna lilies are mostly kept as annuals in cooler regions. However, you can dig up canna lily rhizomes in the fall and overwinter them indoors if you want to keep your plants going.

Canna lilies are famous for their bright flowers that come in various shades of orange, yellow, white, and pink, but you can also enjoy canna lilies as foliage plants. Some cannas have striped foliage that can add an interesting layer to potted arrangements, and canna lily flowers are also ideal for bouquet-making!

10. Caladium

A window box planted with caladiums — Caladiums can be grown indoors or out, so they're a good choice to bring inside for winter and use again outside next year.

Plant name:	Caladium
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Like dracaena, caladiums are often grown indoors as houseplants, but they are also a prime choice for container planters. Caladiums are some of the best foliage plants you can keep, thanks to their thin leaves, which are so sheer they can allow light to shine right through! Caladium leaves come in many different colors, including red and white, but the showiest options have multi-colored leaves.

When fall begins, you can overwinter your caladiums indoors as houseplants, or you can keep them as annuals only. Just be aware that if you bring caladiums indoors, their leaves are toxic to pets.

Fillers

A mixed container planter with filler plants included — Filler plants may not be the star of the show, but they certainly do make container planters look much better.

Filler plants are usually a bit smaller than thrillers, but they can be just as flashy with colorful leaves and flowers or interesting silhouettes. Filler plants often have mounded forms and bushier leaves to fill up empty space in your containers and give planters a more finished look. Often filler plants are either the same color as thriller plants, or they may come in a shade that complements the thriller plant.

1. Corkscrew rush

A pot of corkscrew rush being used in a container planter — Corkscrew rush is a fun and funky filler.

Plant name:	Corkscrew rush
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Corkscrew rush is a funky plant with slightly wavy and curled leaves that can add interesting lines to your container garden. Many rushes naturally grow in wetland areas, and as a result, they prefer moist soil. Corkscrew rush is no exception to this rule, so be sure to water your planter often if you want to keep corkscrew rushes looking their best!

2. Dusty miller

White dusty miller plant — Dusty miller is a classic filler for containers and cut flowers. It works especially well in moon garden plantings.

Plant name:	Dusty miller
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Dusty miller is a classic choice for container gardens, and it’s often paired with other traditional container plants, like petunias and creeping Jenny. Named for its silvery leaves, dusty miller adds a light and airy quality to container arrangements, and it even shows up well after dark thanks to its bright foliage. In zones 7 to 10, dusty miller grows as a perennial, and it will usually bloom in its second year; however, in colder regions, dusty miller is kept as an annual.

3. Pentas

Star-like pentas flowers — Pentas are magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies.

Plant name:	Pentas
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Also known as Egyptian stars, pentas have star-shaped flowers that are always a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. Like a little jewel in your planters, pentas come alive in summer with brilliant flowers in pinks, reds, purples, and white. Pentas are heat-loving plants, but they don’t handle the cold well, and they only grow as annuals in growing zones 9 and below.

4. Petunias

Colorful petunias used as container filler plants — Petunias work well on their own, but they also make excellent, colorful filler plants.

Plant name:	Petunias
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

No container garden would be complete without petunias. These classic plants are often used in hanging baskets, but they can be grown as fillers in patio planters and front porch display too. You can find petunias’ trumpet-shaped flowers in almost every color you could want, but the flashiest flowers have multiple colors in each bloom.

Petunias are usually grown as annuals, but they can handle cold quite well. Some petunias are even frost-hardy, allowing you to grow these plants in spring and fall. You can also extend your petunia bloom time by covering your plants up with plant covers or a lightweight sheet when frost is expected.

5. Coleus

Coleus plants in different colors — Coleus, too, can be grown indoors or out.

Plant name:	Coleus
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Coleus is a highly coveted foliage plant that can be grown indoors or out, depending on your interests. As a houseplant, coleus needs extra humidity, but it is much less demanding in an outdoor container garden. Pair coleus’ colorful leaves with other autumn favorites, like mums or Swiss chard, for a truly eye-catching container garden that can’t help but impress.

6. Swiss chard

Rainbow blend Swiss chard used in a container planter — The bright colors of edible Swiss chard actually make lovely container filler plants (and you can eat them, too!).

Plant name:	Swiss chard
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Stems

Most of us think of Swiss chard as an edible leafy green that has no business outside of the vegetable garden. However, most Swiss chard varieties have brightly colored ribs, which have tons of ornamental appeal.

While you can try out various types of Swiss chard in your container garden, you can also plant ‘Rainbow Blend’ seeds and get Swiss chard plants with red, yellow, and pink ribs. Beyond being attractive to the eye, Swiss chard is also edible. That means that when you’re done enjoying your Swiss chard plants as ornamentals, you can harvest them and cook them up with your favorite meal!

7. Impatiens

A variety of different colored impatiens — Impatiens are low-maintenance plants that mix well in combination planters.

Plant name:	Impatiens
Light requirements:	Part shade
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Pretty as a picture, impatiens are another popular choice for container gardens as they are very low maintenance. These adaptable plants grow best in part shade, allowing you to keep them under covered porches or in other lower-light areas. Impatiens flowers come in a wide variety of colors, and you can now find impatiens with newly developed yellow blooms too!

8. Begonias

An assortment of leafy begonias used as filler plants — Other types of begonias are perfect for filling container planters.

Plant name:	Other begonias
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

While taller cane begonias make phenomenal thriller plants in container gardens, begonias come in many different sizes, and some of the shorter begonia cultivars are ideal filler flowers. You can try out different begonias in your planter, but you may want to seek out rex begonias, as they have some of the most colorful leaves you can find. Even better, rex begonias also grow beautifully indoors, so you can transplant your begonias into indoor pots in winter if you want to!

9. Herbs

Purple basil used as a container filler plant — Herbs work very well as filler plants in containers and in cut flower arrangements.

Plant name:	Herbs
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade, depending on the species
Water requirements:	Moderate to low, depending on the species
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage and flowers

If you like the idea of keeping edible plants like Swiss chard and sunflowers in your container garden, you may also want to grow herbs as filler plants too! Many herbs, like thyme and oregano, produce pretty, pinkish-purple flowers that are irresistible to bees and other pollinators. However, you can also grow herbs like purple basil purely for their ornamental leaves.

10. Heliotropes

Small purple heliotrope flowers — Delicate, long-limbed heliotrope flowers fill in container space nicely.

Plant name:	Heliotropes
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Heliotropes are often used in potpourri blends due to their fine fragrance, which has notes of vanilla and almond. But these plants are even more alluring when fresh, as they will enliven your container garden with their rich aroma. Like sunflowers, heliotrope flowers move with the sun, so don’t be surprised if your flowers are pointing in a different direction in the morning and the evening!

Spillers

Spiller plants trailing from container planters — Spiller plants serve several functions, but one of them is helping to blend containers into the landscape.

Spiller plants are usually trailing or vining plants that spill over the edge of container gardens. This adds more movement to planting arrangements and a complex look that helps to make container planters part of the landscape around them. Spillers may flower, or they may just be kept for their uniquely shaped leaves and color.

1. Sweet potato vine

Decorative sweet potato vines — Sweet potatoes aren't just for eating! In fact, you won't really get edible tubers on these plants to speak of.

Plant name:	Sweet potato vine
Light requirements:	Bright light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage and flowers

Sweet potato vine is generally grown as an ornamental, although it is technically the same plant as edible sweet potatoes! While these plants will produce edible tubers, sweet potatoes from ornamental vines are usually smaller and less flavorful than sweet potatoes intended for garden growing. As potted plants, sweet potato vines are ideal for adding more vertical interest, and their long, cascading stems can help tie your container garden into the surrounding environment.

Sweet potato vines usually come in two main colors: chartreuse green and dark purple. These plants are actually closely related to morning glories, and they can produce large, trumpet-shaped flowers too. Like many other container garden plants, sweet potato vines also make fabulous houseplants!

2. Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny spiller plant — Creeping Jenny highlight subtly-colored plants nicely.

Plant name:	Creeping Jenny
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage and flowers

Creeping Jenny is another brilliant spiller plant with chartreuse green leaves that are truly attention-getters. When grown in containers, creeping Jenny can highlight more subtly colored plants like millet, or it can be grown with other bold plant choices, like hibiscus or canna lilies. As a moisture lover, creeping Jenny does need regular watering, and you should never allow the soil to dry out completely if you want to keep these plants happy.

3. Sweet alyssum

Purple sweet alyssum — Sweet alyssum will spill down the sides of container plants when it reaches the edge.

Plant name:	Sweet alyssum
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Sweet alyssum is a fantastic companion plant in vegetable gardens because its sweetly scented flowers are irresistible to beneficial insects like predatory wasps. However, this multipurpose plant is also ideal for container growing, and even with minimal upkeep, it will reward you with a colorful display of purple and white flowers. While hardy, sweet alyssum doesn’t like the heat much, it will usually stop flowering when temperatures rise in summer and resume blooming in fall.

4. Inchplants

Purple and green inchplant — Inchplants, a common houseplant, are adaptable enough to be grown in outdoor containers.

Plant name:	Inchplants
Light requirements:	Bright, indirect light
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Inchplants are often grown as houseplants, but they are adaptable enough for outdoor container gardens too. These trailing plants have fleshy, semi-succulent stems, which trail gracefully over pot margins. You can find inchplants in either green or purple, but both varieties have interesting, striped leaves with a slightly silvery sheen.

If you love your inchplant, feel free to bring it indoors in autumn. These plants are perfect for hanging baskets, and they’re super easy to propagate in water too!

5. Ivy geranium

Colorful ivy geranium — There are many types of geraniums and they all do well in containers. For a spiller, it's the Ivy geranium you want.

Plant name:	Ivy geranium
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Many different types of geraniums are suitable for container growing, but if you’re looking for a spiller plant, ivy geranium is the variety you need to find. These trailing plants grow between 1 and 3’ long, and they will dazzle you with their textured leaves and airy flowers in shades of pink, red, purple, and white. A solid choice for cottage garden designs, ivy geranium, looks particularly fetching when paired with other classics like dusty miller and sunflowers.

6. Nasturtium

Orange and yellow nasturtium plants — Nasturtiums are edible as well as beautiful and they can repel pests, too! They also invite pollinators and hummingbirds--that's a lot of function from one pretty little plant.

Plant name:	Nasturtium
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Nasturtiums are commonly grown in vegetable gardens and harvested for their edible leaves, flowers, and seeds, but nasturtiums can hold their own in any container arrangement too. These striking plants feature bright orange to yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are always a hit with hummingbirds and bees. Plus, nasturtiums’ scent can repel pest insects from other plants in your container planter!

You can find both mounding and vining-type nasturtiums; however, vining nasturtiums are the type you’ll want to use as a spiller element.

7. Variegated ground ivy

Plant name:	Variegated ground ivy
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	High to moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage and flowers

Ground ivy is often considered a weed, and it can grow invasively in some areas, so you may not want to grow it in a location where it can take over. That said, ground ivy is easier to manage in container gardens, and its hardy nature makes it nearly indestructible, even for “brown thumb” gardeners. While standard ground ivy has its charm (and tiny purple flowers!), variegated ground ivy has even more colorful leaves.

8. Fuchsia

An up close fuschia plant — The trailing nature of fuschia plants makes them a good choice as featured spillers in containers.

Plant name:	Fuchsia
Light requirements:	Part shade
Water requirements:	High to moderate
Ornamental appeal:	Flowers

Fuchsia plants are often grown in hanging baskets, but their trailing growth habit and dangling flowers also look just right in porch planters. Fuchsia flowers are magnificently colorful with a medley of magenta and purple hues, but you can also find fuchsia cultivars with variegated leaves if you want an even showier plant! Like many other brightly colored flowers, fuchsias are the top plants to grow if you want to draw hummingbirds to your landscape.

9. Asparagus fern

Airy asparagus fern in a container planter — The airy, trailing nature of asparagus ferns blend well with a variety of container plants.

Plant name:	Asparagus fern
Light requirements:	Bright light to part shade
Water requirements:	High
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

Asparagus fern is often grown indoors as a houseplant thanks to its airy leaves and trailing growth habit. In container gardens, these plants add structure and elegance and fit right in with plants like Swiss chard, heliotrope, and dracaena.

Despite their name, asparagus ferns aren’t true ferns, and they are actually more closely related to lilies. This perhaps explains why these plants have tiny thorns on their stems, which can prickle your fingers if you aren’t careful! Asparagus ferns are also toxic to pets, so be sure to keep them away from your furry friends.

10. English ivy

Trailing English ivy in a planter — English ivy is much easier to control as a container plant than it is in the ground.

Plant name:	English ivy
Light requirements:	Part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate to low
Ornamental appeal:	Foliage

English ivy has a bit of a reputation in gardening circuits as being a difficult plant to keep under control. But if you grow English ivy in containers, these plants are much easier to manage.

English ivy has leathery, star-shaped leaves, which come in either solid green or variegated options. When allowed to trail over pot sides, English ivy adds a timeless touch, and it looks elegant with plants like dracaena and purple fountain grass.

Summary

A well-planned ornamental container planter — With these spillers, thrillers, and fillers, you'll have plenty to mix and match and experiment with to create your own lovely garden containers.

Keeping a container garden allows you to express your gardening creativity while giving you more places to grow plants! Even if you have a small backyard (or not a yard at all!), you can still keep a fabulous container garden and use the flowers you grow to accentuate your home’s curb appeal or draw the eye to walkways and patios. Choosing a combination of thriller, filler, and spiller plants will add complexity to your design, and it also gives you more choices on the variety and styles of plants you’d like to grow.

For more ideas on how to spruce up your curb appeal, see our guide on hellstrip gardening!