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 a Rollercoaster Hot Pink New Guinea Impatiens features bright pink, overlapping petals and glossy green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Rollercoaster Hot Pink New Guinea Impatiens displays vivid pink blooms with water droplets on lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Rollercoaster Hot Pink New Guinea 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
Rollercoaster White Lightning New Guinea Impatiens features semi-double white, ruffled blooms and dark green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Rollercoaster White Lightning 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

Safari® Lava Flow South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) features vibrant red blooms with yellow centers and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A green ceramic pot displays vibrant red Safari® Lava Flow South African Phlox (Jamesbrittenia) with yellow centers and lush green foliage, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Safari® Lava Flow 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
Close-up of Shadow Dancer® 'Marcia' Fuchsia with vibrant purple and red petals, long pink stamens, and green leaves in white pots - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.Close-up of Shadow Dancer® 'Marcia' Fuchsia featuring vibrant deep pink petals, purple centers, and delicate stamens, set against lush green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Shadow Dancer® 'Marcia' Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99

Silvery, lobed Silver Bullet® Wormwood (Artemisia) leaves with a velvety texture make elegant foliage accents among vibrant purple petunias and lush green plants - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Dense, silvery-gray Silver Bullet® Wormwood (Artemisia) with finely divided leaves forms lush clusters, creating striking foliage accents against bright green grass - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Silver Bullet® Wormwood (Artemisia)

$10.99
$10.99

Rose Bacopa features vibrant purple-pink flowers with yellow centers and green leaves, creating a lively and colorful display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Snowstorm® Rose Bacopa (Sutera)

$10.99
$10.99
A cluster of small, white blooms with yellow centers and green foliage highlights the delicate beauty of Snowstorm Snow Globe Bacopa - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA cluster of small white blooms with yellow centers and delicate petals, surrounded by green leaves, densely packed together - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Snowstorm® Snow Globe® Bacopa (Sutera)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Solenia® Apricot Rieger Begonia, featuring vibrant orange and yellow double blooms with soft petals and green leaves visible in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A beige ceramic pot holds the Solenia® Apricot Rieger Begonia, displaying lush green leaves and abundant double blooms in yellow and peach shades - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Solenia® Apricot Rieger Begonia

$11.99
$11.99

Close-up of vibrant Solenia® Chocolate Orange Rieger Begonia flowers, featuring double blooms with yellow centers, set against lush dark green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A beige ceramic pot filled with vibrant Solenia® Chocolate Orange Rieger Begonia, featuring double blooms and dark green, slightly ruffled leaves, set against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Solenia® Chocolate Orange Rieger Begonia

$11.99
$11.99

The Solenia® Scarlet Rieger Begonia features vibrant red double blooms with layered petals, set among green leaves and softly blurred yellow flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSolenia® Scarlet Rieger Begonia features bright scarlet, double blooms with layered petals accented by vibrant green leaves in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Solenia® Scarlet Rieger Begonia

$11.99
$11.99
A close-up of a hanging basket featuring Solenia® Yellow Rieger Begonia with vivid yellow blooms and lush green leaves. Blurred trees and parked cars in the sunny background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClusters of ruffled yellow Solenia® Yellow Rieger Begonia blooms stand out among green foliage and purple plants, creating a striking display that's ideal for hanging baskets in your garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Solenia® Yellow Rieger Begonia

$11.99
$11.99

A close-up of Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) blooms with lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.A brown pot holds vibrant Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) flowers and lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Solera™ Dark Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
Close-up of a lone cluster of vibrant pinkish red blooms, the Solera™ Fuchsia Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) shine amid lush green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.A tan planter with vibrant pinkish-red blooms of Solera™ Fuchsia Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) sits on a stone surface outdoors, surrounded by lush greenery and garden flowers - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Solera™ Fuchsia Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
Close-up of pink Solera™ Lavender Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) with green rounded leaves and vibrant pink-lavender blooms featuring subtle white streaks - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of vibrant pink Solera™ Lavender Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) flowers with green leaves and buds, patterned gray pots visible in tehe background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Solera™ Lavender Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99

Vivid Solera™ Orange Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) blooms stand out above lush green leaves with hints of magenta in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of vibrant Solera™ Orange Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) flowers with green leaves blooming in a white textured planter—an ideal drought-tolerant option for containers, set against wooden planks and gray stones. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Solera™ Orange Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
Vivid scarlet blooms of the Solera™ Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) burst among lush, scalloped leaves, with unopened buds nearby. A blurred background suggests a flourishing container garden filled with greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Vibrant scarlet blooms of the Solera™ Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) burst from a white textured pot, accented by lush green leaves and companion container garden displays in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Solera™ Red Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
Solera™ Watermelon Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) displays bright pink blooms with vibrant clusters of petals and ruffled green leaves, set among other container plants and potted flowers in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Vibrant Solera™ Watermelon Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium) blooms in bright pink with lush green leaves, displayed among container plants and softly blurred garden flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Solera™ Watermelon Zonal Geranium (Pelargonium)

$11.99
$11.99
A cluster of vibrant Southern Blaze™ Blueberry Phlox with deep green leaves fills the frame, displaying delicate petals and rich color - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Southern Blaze™ Blueberry Phlox features clusters of small, five-petaled purple and lavender blooms with darker centers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Southern Blaze™ Blueberry Phlox

$10.99
$10.99