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 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

Dense clusters of thin, green, grass-like stems with round white buds give Graceful Grasses® Fiber Optic Grass (Isolepis) a bushy, textured look - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Graceful Grasses® Fiber Optic Grass (Isolepis) showing dense, green, thin upright stems with small brownish tips - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Graceful Grasses® Fiber Optic Grass (Isolepis)

$15.99
$15.99

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
Close-up of Heart to Heart® 'Blushing Bride' Caladium, showcasing heart-shaped leaves in vivid pink, green, and white with striking veins - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Blushing Bride' Caladium

$24.99
$24.99

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
Close-up of Heart to Heart® 'Creme Brulee' Caladium’s heart-shaped leaves, showcasing pink, red, and green tones with visible veins - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Heart to Heart® 'Creme Brulee' 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
Close-up of Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium leaves, featuring deep red centers and bright green edges. Their unique heart-shaped patterns make this colorful plant a stunning addition to any garden - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium features large, vibrant pink heart-shaped leaves with green edges, displayed in a beige decorative pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Heart to Heart® Heart's Delight Caladium

$24.99
$24.99
The Hippo® Red Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes) features striking pink and red speckled, heart-shaped leaves in a pot, paired with lush green foliage and small yellow flowers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.A lush Hippo® Red Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes) with vibrant red and green speckled leaves sits in a simple round light gray ceramic pot, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Hippo® Red Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes)

$10.99
$10.99
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 cluster of Laguna® Royale Lilac Lobelia displays light purple flowers with slender petals and green stems and leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dark gray decorative pot holds a lush mound of Laguna® Royale Lilac Lobelia, featuring small light purple flowers and green foliage from Proven Winners, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Laguna® Royale Lilac 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

Close-up of Luscious® Royale Piña Colada Lantana, featuring clusters of small white and yellow flowers with green buds and leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Luscious® Royale Piña Colada Lantana: clusters of small, tubular flowers with white petals and yellow centers stand out against dark green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Luscious® Royale Piña Colada Lantana

$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

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) is a striking perennial with deep pink and burgundy leaves featuring visible veins, topped by delicate white flowers on tall stems above the vibrant foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) leaves shows vibrant purple and pink shades with ruffled texture and distinct veins. Green and purple foliage from more Coral Bells appears in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99
A cluster of vibrant pink impatiens in full bloom, nestled among lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A rectangular metal planter filled with lush foliage and vibrant red Rockapulco® Red Double Impatiens - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Rockapulco® Red Double Impatiens

$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

A close-up of Rollercoaster Tangy Taffy New Guinea Impatiens, featuring vibrant pink ruffled petals and dark green leaves in bright sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Rollercoaster Tangy Taffy New Guinea Impatiens

$10.99
$10.99

Rollercoaster Valraven Violet New Guinea Impatiens displays vibrant pink ruffled blooms with dark green, pointed leaves, thriving outdoors in bright sunlight. Mulch and other green foliage appear in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Rollercoaster Valraven Violet New Guinea Impatiens, with ruffled violet blooms and lush dark green leaves, creates a dense, colorful display - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

Rollercoaster Valraven Violet 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

A close-up shows Safari™ Sky South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) with small lavender-purple blooms and yellow centers trailing from a blue planter on a sunny day, with green grass in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.A hanging basket showcases Safari™ Sky South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) with vibrant lavender-purple blooms featuring yellow centers and deep green foliage with some larger pink flowers in the center fo the basket - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Safari® Sky South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia)

$10.99
$10.99