Filler Plants for Containers

A filler plant is the mounding, bushy element that ties a container together. It fills the gaps between your thriller and spiller, giving the whole planting a full, lush, finished look. In the thriller-spiller-filler formula, fillers do the heavy lifting in the middle of the pot. They add color, texture, and density that transforms a sparse container into something that looks intentional and abundant.

The number of filler plants you need depends on your pot size. A 12-inch pot typically needs one to two plants, while a 14-inch pot looks best with two to three. For an 18-inch pot, plan on three to five filler plants for full, even coverage. Larger containers of 20 inches or more may need four to six or more plants. That extra coverage is what gives an oversized pot a truly complete, abundant look.

Grey pot with tall purple grass, purple blooms, and white flowers cascading over the side in a garden setting
Close-up of small, oval peppers in shades of yellow, orange, and red grow among green leaves, showing various stages of ripeness. The Hot Pops Yellow' Ornamental Peppers (Capsicum) are densely packed and have a glossy appearance - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.Clusters of small, oval peppers in shades of yellow, orange, and red grow among green leaves, showing various stages of ripeness. The peppers of the Hot Pops Yellow' Ornamental Pepper (Capsicum) are densely packed and have a glossy appearance - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

'Hot Pops Purple' Ornamental Pepper (Capsicum)

$12.99
$12.99
Close-up of creamy white and pale yellow African Dasies in bloom, set against leafy green with an unopened yellow bud - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Double Moonglow African Daisy with a yellow center blooms amid vibrant red flowers and lush green foliage in a garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Bright Lights™ Double Moonglow African Daisy (Osteospermum)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Pink African Daisy flowers with vibrant pink petals, yellow and dark centers, lush green leaves, and unopened buds. The blooms display soft purple hues in a strikingly symmetrical pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCPink African Daisy blooms in light purple and pink among green leaves, with some petals showing pink hues and a few flowers still partially closed - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Bright Lights™ Pink African Daisy (Osteospermum)

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of Bright Lights™ Purple African Daisy (Osteospermum), a vibrant magenta, heat-tolerant bloom with a dark center and yellow dots, shown among green leaves and buds—ideal for summer color in the garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Bright Lights African Daisies featuring vivid purple, daisy-like blooms with dark centers and green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Bright Lights™ Purple African Daisy (Osteospermum)

$10.99
$10.99
Campfire® Flame Bidens showcases bright orange and red daisy-like flowers with yellow centers among lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA dense cluster of Campfire® Flame Bidens displays vibrant orange-red flowers with yellow centers and green leaves. These heat-tolerant annuals feature petals with subtle color gradients, creating a rich, lively look - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Campfire® Flame Bidens

$10.99
$10.99

A vibrant cluster of Campfire® Red Ember Bidens features orange-red flowers with yellow centers, prominent petals, and vivid stamens - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A vibrant cluster of Campfire® Red Ember Bidens, with bright red blooms and yellow centers, thrives in a dark, glossy ceramic pot set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Campfire® Red Ember Bidens

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of bright pink impatiens is surrounded by the vibrant green leaves with deep maroon centers and jagged yellow-green edges of Colorblaze® Strawberry Drop Coleus - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA vibrant Colorblaze® Strawberry Drop Coleus with green, burgundy, and pink foliage grows densely in a round modern gray and taupe ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

ColorBlaze® Strawberry Drop Coleus

$10.99
$10.99
Three pale, star-shaped flowers with light purple veins bloom among green leaves. Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet offers delicate, five-pointed petals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of a white browallia with faint purple veins, green leaves, and blurred red flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Endless™ Flirtation Bush Violet (Browallia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet flowers with green leaves, accompanied by a few narrow red-orange blooms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of vibrant purple star-shaped flowers, Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet (Browallia) is a stunning blue-toned annual - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Endless™ Illumination Bush Violet (Browallia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone flowers with yellow centers, pink petals and green foliage, surrounded by buds, creates a colorful, lively garden scene with this stunning fall-blooming perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A vibrant garden bed brims with blooming pink flowers featuring yellow centers, including Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone, surrounded by lush green foliage and accented with small purple flowers in the lower right corner - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' Japanese Anemone

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of rusty red leaves of Fun and Games® 'Red Rover' Foamy Bells (Heucherella) with a cluster of pink and white buds surround the perennial amid lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a cluster of Fun and Games® 'Red Rover' Foamy Bells (Heucherella) leaves, resembling coral bells, display rich burgundy-red hues grow densely above dark soil - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Fun and Games® 'Red Rover' Foamy Bells (Heucherella)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of a cluster of small white flowers with pink stamens and green leaves on a Ground Hug® Aronia shrub. Some buds are unopened, set against a blurred green background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of Ground Hug® Aronia, a dense cluster of green shrubs, showcases numerous small white flowers among its leaves, elegantly covering the ground outdoors - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Ground Hug® Aronia

$22.99
$22.99
Heart to Heart® 'Bold 'N Beautiful' Caladium features lush leaves with green edges, creamy centers, and pink-red veins - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included. A cluster of Heart to Heart® 'Bold 'N Beautiful' Caladium with large, heart-shaped leaves—bright pink centers and green edges—thrives by a stone border in sun or shade, surrounded by mulch - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Bold 'N Beautiful' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Heart to Heart® 'Burning Heart' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves in reddish-brown with yellow speckles. This tropical houseplant stands out, while hints of green foliage and a black pot can be seen in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCHeart to Heart® 'Burning Heart' Caladium features large, heart-shaped red leaves with pink and white speckles that overlap to form dense, vibrant foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Burning Heart' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

A close-up of a Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium displays heart-shaped, vibrant green and red leaves with white speckles in a black pot, surrounded by lush greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.The Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves with green edges, deep red veins, and white splashes, presented in a textured light ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® 'Xplosion' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Heart to Heart® 'Va Va Violet' Caladium features large, heart-shaped leaves with pink centers, light green edges, and white and green speckles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCHeart to Heart® 'Va Va Violet' Caladium features vibrant heart-shaped leaves with pink centers and green edges with overlapping foliage that creates a striking, colorful display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® Va Va Violet™ Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
Close-up of an Icicles Licorice Plant (Helichrysum) with silvery, spiky foliage grows in a garden bed, surrounded by lush green plants and purple leaves edged in yellow-green - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A potted Icicles Licorice Plant (Helichrysum) displays dense, narrow silvery foliage with soft, feathery texture and a few small pink flowers along the edges, accented by surrounding green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Icicles Licorice Plant (Helichrysum)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Laguna® Cloud White™ Lobelia features clusters of delicate white flowers with small yellow centers and slender green stems, offering a heat-tolerant, densely blooming display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dark blue ceramic pot filled with lush green stems and white blooming Laguna® Cloud White™ Lobelia, set against a plain white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Laguna® Cloud White™ Lobelia

$10.99
$10.99

A vibrant cluster of small, star-shaped pink flowers and slender green leaves from Laguna® Royale Pink Lobelia fills the image, showcasing this annual's colorful and lively floral display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A large ceramic pot filled with dense, pink blooming Laguna® Royale Pink Lobelia, isolated on a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Laguna® Royale Pink Lobelia

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of a dense cluster of vibrant electric purple Laguna® Ultraviolet™ Lobelia flowers with green stems and leaves fills the image with bright, cheerful color - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant electric purple Laguna® Ultraviolet™ Lobelia flowers with delicate petals and green stems, densely packed and blooming outdoors - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Laguna® Ultraviolet™ Lobelia

$10.99
$10.99

A close-up of Plum Dandy™ Alternanthera reveals lush, oval leaves in green and deep purple with a few bright pinkish-red ones. The densely clustered foliage is perfect for container gardening - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.A large blue ceramic pot features lush foliage of Plum Dandy™ Alternanthera, highlighted by soft purple and white flowers—an eye-catching container garden displayed on a stone patio surrounded by greenery and rocks - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Plum Dandy™ Alternanthera

$10.99
$10.99

Two Rollercoaster Red Racer New Guinea Impatiens blooms features bright red, wavy-petaled blooms with glossy green leaves, thriving in sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of vibrant Rollercoaster Red Racer New Guinea Impatiens with red blooms and dark green leaves, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Rollercoaster Red Racer New Guinea Impatiens

$10.99
$10.99

Safari™ Dawn South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) is a heat-tolerant, trailing flower forming dense clusters of vibrant purple blooms with yellow centers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.A round pot overflowing with Safari™ Dawn South African Phlox—heat-tolerant trailing flowers in pink, orange, and yellow star shapes - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Safari® Dawn South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia)

$10.99
$10.99

A garden scene with vibrant purple Safari™ Dusk™ South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia), a heat-tolerant trailing plant, nestled among lush foliage and white blooms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant purple Safari™ Dusk™ South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) flowers with yellow and red centers, surrounded by green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Safari® Dusk™ South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia)

$10.99
$10.99