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

‘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

‘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

$16.14
$18.99 $16.14

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 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 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
Close-up of Bright Lights™ Yellow African Daisy blooms with green centers overlapping, filling the image and creating a vibrant, cheerful pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Bright Lights™ Yellow African Daisy (Osteospermum)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant purple Bumble Bee™ Blue Calibrachoa, pollinator-friendly flowers with yellow centers among green leaves; some pink blooms are visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of a single vibrant Bumble Bee™ Blue Calibrachoa bloom with a yellow center, surrounded by green leaves and other flowers in the background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.

Bumble Bee™ Blue Calibrachoa

$10.99
$10.99

Bumble Bee™ Hot Pink Calibrachoa features bright magenta-pink blooms with yellow star centers and green leaves. These closely clustered Millionbells create a vibrant, colorful display as trailing annuals - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA round, dark planter featuring vibrant Bumble Bee™ Hot Pink Calibrachoa sits on a circular stone patio surrounded by lush green foliage and large stone decorations in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.

Bumble Bee™ Hot Pink Calibrachoa

$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

$8.79
$10.99 $8.79

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
A close-up of the pale yellow Dalina® Grande Romero Dahlia in full bloom, surrounded by green leaves and dahlia buds - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA close-up of the vivid Dalina® Grande Romero Dahlia in full bloom, showcasing its layered petals radiating from the center against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.

Dalina® Grande Romero Dahlia

$10.99
$10.99
A close-up of Double Up™ Red Begonia, featuring vibrant red blooms and glossy green leaves in a blue pot. Blurred greenery background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of vibrant Double Up™ Red Begonia blooms with ruffled petals and yellow centers, surrounded by dark green leaves. Densely clustered, these flowers create a striking display ideal for sun or shade - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Double Up™ Red Begonia

$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

A close-up of vibrant green and yellow-veined leaves, some edged with purple, from Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus near dark purple foliage and pale pink flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of vibrant yellow-green, serrated leaves and deep green veins with purplish stems in the background, showcasing the lush foliage of Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus - Photo Courtesy of Mast Young Plants.

Fancifillers™ Guacamole Plectranthus

$10.99
$10.99
Yellow-green leaves with dark red veins sit below delicate clusters of light pink flowers on tall stems—this close-up features Fun and Games® 'Eye Spy' Foamy Bells (Heucherella) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Fun and Games® 'Eye Spy' Foamy Bells (Heucherella), a shade perennial with light green leaves, dark veins, and stems topped with delicate pink flowers, thrives beautifully in a lush garden setting - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Fun and Games® 'Eye Spy' Foamy Bells (Heucherella)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella) leaves overlap in red, orange, and brown shades, highlighting jagged edges and textured surfaces - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of autumn-colored leaves in orange, red, and brown, of Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella), glistening with small water droplets - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Fun and Games® 'Hopscotch' Foamy Bells (Heucherella)

$18.99
$18.99