Nothing brightens up your outdoor space like container plants. I’m passionate about both pots and plants so I have a lot of them around the exterior of my home. I’m constantly changing their contents to create new seasonal arrangements. But if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t worry. Here’s a simple recipe for no fail container plants: it’s known as the “Thriller, Filler, and Spiller” combination.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
Thriller: Start with a Thriller plant. This will be the main attraction in your container so choose something that just says “wow” to you. It might be the bloom or even the foliage that gives you a thrill, but you need one thriller plant per container.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
Filler: Next, look for a complimentary plant that is a little smaller to use as your Filler. This plant should be a little shorter than your thriller plant and fill up the space around the base of your thriller. You may need 2-3 filler plants depending on the size of your container and the size of plants you’ve chosen.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
Spiller: Lastly, you’ll want a Spiller. This is a plant that will grow down (not up) spilling over the edges of your pot. Again, the size of your pot will determine the number of spiller plants you need.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
The purple annual salvia (filler) brings out the purple vein in the coleus (thriller) and the bright greens of the spiller and thriller are a perfect match with this tall wicker planter I found at HomeGoods. All these plants will be happy in partial shade.
When choosing your thriller, filler, and spiller plants keep these simple rules in mind:
Make sure all your plants have the same light and watering requirements. They will be sharing the same pot so they need to all get along well in the same environment. In the combination below, Geraniums, Nemesia and Verbena will all welcome the sun and need about the same amount of daily watering.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
Color is important. You can choose shades of the same color, complimentary hues, or for a real eye-catching pop of color choose contrasting shades on the color wheel (purple and orange are a classic example). Take notice of each plants’ foliage as well to see what shades of green look best together and how well the color of your foliage works with the color of the container.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
(The yellow violas above will work well as a filler for a spring planter but will need to be swapped out for a more heat-loving plant once summer arrives. )
For balance in your arrangement try to choose plants with different texture and weight to them. If your thriller has a broad leaf, look for a filler with lacier foliage to provide contrast.
Photo by Wool Free and Lovin’ Knit
You want your pots to last throughout the growing season so make sure that flowering plants will bloom for the full period of time you want them on display. Alternatively, foliage plants (like the coral bells above) can provide long-term interest even when other plants have stopped blooming.
So, grab a pot from Homegoods, pick up a thriller, some filler, and a spiller from your local nursery and get your bloom on!
from Home Maintenance Decor Design Construction http://ift.tt/290c2no
via Joan
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