You go to the garden center. You've got a pot you need to fill with something beautiful for your party this weekend. You COULD buy a pre-made combo pot and just drop it into your pot. However, since you put on your creative pants this morning you've decided to do this from scratch.
You walk around for a little while and see a few things you really like, but how do you put them together? What goes in the back, the front, around the edges? We can help! With this simple recipe in mind, you'll pick out all the perfect plants for every container in your yard and the pictures of your patio (which you'll tag Fasel and Sons in) will look like it's straight out of a catalog.
So, here it is:
THRILLER.
FILLER.
SPILLER.
*Variable Portions*
It's really that simple
As long as you combine at least 2 of the above (or all 3), you're on your way to an awesome looking combo pot. Your neighbors are all going to ask you where you bought it! You'll just say: "Oh that little thing, I made that".
THRILLER
The thriller is big, bold, and beautiful, the tallest thing in the pot. This is the centerpiece (but not necessarily in the center of the pot). Pick your center of attention first and choose the other plants to work around it. Depending on what you choose, you'll probably only need one thriller as most tend to get quite large.
Look For:
Ornamental Grasses
Banana Trees
Cannas
Elephant Ears
Columnar Evergreens
Anything with substantial height.
Filler
The filler is a mounding plant that fills in the bottom of the thriller and eventually covers most of the soil in the pot. Depending on the size of the pot, several of the filler plants may be needed.
Look For:
African Daisy
Lantana
Begonias
Polka Dot Plant
Coleus
Dahlia
Any bush-type plant (avoid trailers) that will fill up the top of the pot.
SPILLER
The spiller softens the edge of the pot and trails over the edge to give the whole combination movement and life. Depending on the size of the pot, several of the spiller plants may be needed as well.
Look For:
Sweet Potato Vine
Scaevola
Wave Petunia (or other trailing types).
Lobelia
Dorotheanthus
Vinca Vine
English Ivy
Any other trailing plant