How to build a flower pot for your patio

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What’s the secret to well-styled, impressive potted patio plants? Three rhyming words: thriller, filler, and spiller.


This simple method of styling container plants breaks down the intimidation factor at the nursery when selecting plants and makes for beautiful décor throughout the growing season.


Thrill’em

The thriller piece is the big, bold focal point that gives the container height and sits in the middle of the container.

Tall grasses are popular and easy to care for. Horizontal blooming flowers like dahlias or cosmos work, just be sure to think about where the potted plants will be going and consider the angles a viewer should see something in bloom.

Potted Patio Plant

CityMom Clarie’s beautiful potted plants

Fill’em

The fillers are round, medium-sized plants that surround the thriller. Depending on the size of your pot, you can use a few different filler options. There are many options for filler plants, but begonias, gardenias and petunias are popular and work great.



Spill’em

The spiller is a plant that grows in a way that it appears to be tumbling out of the pot. These plants make a statement as they pour over the sides. Popular options are things like sweet potato vines and ivy.

Potted Plant

CityMom Claire’s beautiful potted plants


Using thriller, filler, and spiller as a framework this Spring lets you break free from the intimidation of the garden center and get home to be creative with your garden.


Ready to jump in? We’ve gathered a list of all the tools you’ll need to create your own masterpiece at home:


Feeling inspired? Check out theCityMoms' complete list of Amazon favorites.

Claire Trost

Claire is a writer in rural Indiana and can almost always be found in the kitchen paging a worn cookbook, listening to a podcast, chasing her two kids, cooking alongside her husband or chatting with friends around the island (and many snacks!). Her words on food, love, and life have been featured in Today Parents, Cherry Bombe Magazine, Edible Indy, Coffee+Crumbs and her own personal blog, Bloom.

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