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
A dense cluster of 'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta) with purple-blue flowers and green foliage thrives in a mulched garden bed among grass and other plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of blooming 'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta) flowers, with green stems and blurred purple blooms in the background, create a soft, colorful outdoor scene - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Catwalk Queen' Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus) features delicate, feathery stems topped with tiny cream flowers, creating an airy texture - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of 'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus) features feathery, creamy white plumes and deep green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Chantilly Lace' Goatsbeard (Aruncus)

$18.99
$18.99

A 'Crested Surf' Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium) with silvery-green, purple-veined fronds grows beside green leafy plants in a shade garden, bordered by brown wood mulch - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A 'Crested Surf' Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium) with dark reddish stems and silvery-green fronds thrives in a shady garden bed, nestled among companion plants near a lattice fence - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Crested Surf' Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium)

$19.99
$19.99
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)

$14.99
$14.99
‘Lemon Purrfection’ Catmint (Nepeta) with clusters of small purple flowers planted in a mulched bed with blurred grass in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of a cluster of vibrant yellow-green 'Lemon Purrfection' Catmint (Nepeta), a drought-tolerant perennial, displays numerous small purple flowers blooming with grass and soil visible in the garden background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Lemon Purrfection' Catmint (Nepeta)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of tall stems of 'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue (Penstemon) showcase trumpet-shaped light purple flowers among dark green and burgundy leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of clusters of purple and white bell-shaped blooms of 'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue (Penstemon), a drought-tolerant perennial, cover green stems in the sun, with lush green foliage softly blurred behind - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Midnight Masquerade' Beardtongue (Penstemon)

$20.99
$20.99

A dense cluster of small, white flowers with green stems and leaves blooms in bright sunlight—'Peter Cottontail' Yarrow (Achillea) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Clusters of small, white 'Peter Cottontail' Yarrow (Achillea) flowers with green stems grow densely outdoors in sunlight with a blurred background of soil and greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Peter Cottontail' Yarrow (Achillea)

$17.99
$17.99

Variegata' Variegated Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus) features green leaves with white edges, creating a striking ground cover amidst bright yellow and deep purple flowers in a vibrant garden setting - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A bush of 'Variegata' Variegated Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus) with green and white-edged leaves, encircled by yellow and blue flowers, set amid lush ground cover and other greenery in a garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Variegata' Variegated Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus)

$10.99
$10.99
‘White Profusion’ Perennial Salvia is a bushy perennial with tall spikes of small white flowers and green leaves, shown growing in a mulched pollinator garden bed among more ‘White Profusion’ plants in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Close-up of ‘White Profusion’ Perennial Salvia features dense green stems topped with clusters of delicate white blooms, ideal for creating a thriving pollinator garden against a lush green outdoor backdrop - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'White Profusion' Perennial Salvia

$18.99
$18.99

A silvery Angel Wings Sea Cabbage (Senecio) with pale green broad leaves is framed by bright pink and small white flowers in a sunlit garden bed with lush green foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Velvety, silvery-white leaves of Angel Wings Sea Cabbage (Senecio), a drought-tolerant plant, stand out among small green leaves and pink flower clusters in the garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Angel Wings Sea Cabbage (Senecio)

$16.99
$16.99

A lush Angelface® Cascade Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) bush shows vibrant pink blooms and green leaves in a garden, with white-flowered bushes and hanging summer snapdragon baskets partly seen on the left - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Angelface® Cascade Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) blooms densely outdoors, showcasing vibrant pink petals and lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Angelface® Cascade Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of blooming Angelface® Cascade Snow Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) with green leaves and buds - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.White blooms of Angelface® Cascade Snow Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia) cover green stems with narrow leaves, standing out in the garden. Sunlight enhances their delicate look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Angelface® Cascade Snow Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia)

$10.99
$10.99

CLose-up of dense clusters of Aromagica™ Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium) featuring fragrant purple blooms with yellow centers and dense green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Aromagica™ Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium) features fragrant purple blooms above dense green foliage, creating a vibrant display against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Aromagica® Purple Heliotrope (Heliotropium)

$10.99
$10.99

Aromance® Mulberry™ Nemesia displays vibrant pink and purple blooms with yellow centers among green foliage, paired with orange daisy-like flowers and dark purple accents - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Aromance® Mulberry™ Nemesia is a fragrant annual with clusters of small purple and magenta flowers with yellow centers amid green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Aromance® Mulberry™ Nemesia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Aromance® Pink Nemesia displays clusters of delicate pink, white, and yellow flowers on green stems - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Aromance® Pink Nemesia clusters with pale pink blooms and PW Proven Winners tags, set outdoors on a sunny day amid greenery and blurred hanging baskets - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Aromance® Pink Nemesia

$10.99
$10.99

Artist® Blue Flossflower (Ageratum) fluffy fringed petals, grows among green leaves and ferns in a wooden planter box - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA dense cluster of vibrant, deer-resistant Artist® Blue Flossflower (Ageratum) with purple-blue flowers and green leaves grows in a garden bed mulched and bordered by pink and white blooms - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Artist® Blue Flossflower (Ageratum)

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of small, pale purple flowers with yellow centers and lush green leaves make Augusta® Lavender Heliotrope (Heliotropium) a beautiful flowering plant - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Small purple Augusta® Lavender Heliotrope (Heliotropium) flowers, white blooms, and green leaves fill the foreground, with dark purple foliage and red summer flowers blurred in the sunlit background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Augusta® Lavender Heliotrope (Heliotropium)

$10.99
$10.99

The Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus features round blue-green leaves on slender stems, growing in a pot outdoors with wood chip mulch and partial sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus plant with blue-green foliage sits potted on a stone, surrounded by wood chips in the sun, highlighting its fragrant beauty - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Baby Blue Bouquet Eucalyptus

$11.99
$11.99
A cluster of Beth's Blue® Star Flower (Isotoma) displays blue, star-shaped blooms with narrow petals and green foliage. These heat-tolerant flowers have a vibrant, delicate look and grow densely together - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A ceramic pot brimming with lush green foliage and abundant small, star-shaped blooms of heat-tolerant Beth's Blue® Star Flower (Isotoma) - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Beth's Blue® Star Flower (Isotoma)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of a Big Leaf Creeping Wire Vine (Muehlenbeckia) with small, round green leaves set against a blurred blue pot and reddish ground - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA hanging basket filled with Big Leaf Creeping Wire Vine (Muehlenbeckia) and vivid orange and yellow blooms is showcased in a lively garden with colorful flower beds, stone borders, lush ground cover, and a partly cloudy blue sky - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Hanging basket not included.

Big Leaf Creeping Wire Vine (Muehlenbeckia)

$10.99
$10.99

Bluebird Nemesia displays clusters of vibrant blue-purple flowers with white centers in the foreground, while a blurred mix of orange and white blooms adds colorful contrast in this garden scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Bluebird Nemesia features clusters of small blue-purple flowers with yellow and white centers, densely packed for a vibrant display - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Bluebird Nemesia

$10.99
$10.99
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

African Daisy with vibrant orange and pink blooms with purple centers, surrounded by lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCVibrant orange blooms with purple centers, set among lush green foliage and complemented by summer flowers in shades of purple and pink - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Bright Lights™ Horizon™ Sunset 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