Thriller, Filler, Spiller and sometimes Chiller!
Elevate the look of your outdoor or indoor space with ultimate planter designs from Balanced Environments this spring!
Our latest e-blast will teach you the secrets of designing stunning planters using the thriller, filler, and spiller technique. This simple and effective formula will help you create planters with depth and dimension that will turn any space into a beautiful oasis.
The thriller is the centerpiece of your planter – a tall, upright plant that will draw the eye and provide the vertical element of your design.
Tall ornamental grasses such as purple fountain grass or Colocasia work well, but you can also use spiky blooming plants such as: Canna Lily Asters, Cosmos, Hibiscus or Hydrangea. If you’ll be viewing your container from all sides, the thriller goes in the middle. If your view the container from the front, plant the thriller in the back.
The filler plants are used to fill out the planter and complement the thriller. It will fill in the middle of your arrangement, providing texture and volume. Fillers are mid-size, mounding, or rounded plants that surround and enhance the thriller and fill the space in the planter. You can use one filler or opt for two or three different plants in your container gardening design. Some filler examples are Begonias, Petunias, Lantana, Geraniums, Caladium, Gerbera and Daisies.
Finally, the spiller is a trailing plant that will spill over the edges of your planter, creating a cascading effect that will add interest and depth to your design. They provide anchoring to the planting and a colorful skirt around the combinations of the other plants. Some suggestions are Sweet Potato Vine (purple or lime green), Petunia, Calibrachoa, Ivy, Lysmachia and Vinca.
Finally, if there is room in your container for at least one more plant, don’t forget the Chiller.
These are “cool” plants that draw attention to the planting container. Chillers include, Coleus, Dusty Miller, Geranium, Lobelia and Oxalis.
With BEI’s expert guidance, you’ll learn how to select the right plants for your design, choose the perfect container, and arrange your plants for maximum impact.
Now that you know the basics, it’s time to start designing! Call BEI today to help you create beautiful planters using the thriller, filler, spiller and chiller method!
