Every Garden Needs One Plant That Makes Containers Look Full Instantly – These 7 Are Multi-Season Showstoppers
Spruce up fading summer pots and transition them into a stunning fall display by adding these gorgeous fast-growing plants with multi-season interest.
When I get ready to create container gardens – whether in spring or fall – I keep in mind my go-to plants that I know will perform well for the long haul. I want vibrant color, fast growers, and multi-season interest.
I start with something new and eye-catching then fill in with the tried-and-true heroes. To structure the container, I follow the traditional thriller-filler-spiller method, which incorporates a vertical plant with medium filler plants and cascading plants spilling over the edge. To liven up a front porch stairway, try three colorful containers in decreasing sizes.
Once you pick your pots, it’s time to choose plants to fill them. Here are some of the best container plants that provide maximum multi-season interest and fill in fast for pots that look amazing in only a few weeks.
Container Gardening Tips
Before putting together a luscious container, check the bottom of the intended pot for several drainage holes. It is important the container drains well, or the plants could suffer root rot. If you are using a favorite ceramic pot that doesn’t have holes, use it as a cachepot or an outside container. Then line it with a nursery pot that you can remove to water and drain.
Choose a light, organic fast-draining potting soil like this one from Miracle-Gro. I often add additional perlite to the mix. Do not use ordinary garden soil, which is heavy and may be infested with bugs. Incorporate a slow-release fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 formula like this Garden Food from Espoma, into the potting mix at planting time. This should feed plants for about two months.
When purchasing plants, look for those with similar light and water needs for your container’s location. A covered porch needs plants for part to full shade whereas plants for sunny areas should thrive in full to part sun.
Plants that require moist soil should be planted with other moisture-loving plants. Succulents, for example, need less water and should be planted with other low moisture plants. The plant tags specify the light, space, water, as well as the hardiness zone. Check the soil daily in midsummer by sticking a finger into the soil. If it is dry, water the soil till water comes out the drainage holes.
Fast-Growing, High-Impact Container Plants
Here are some of the best high-impact plants to quickly create striking container gardens with long-lasting appeal.
1. Coral Bells
Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) are a clumping perennial groundcover that come in so many foliage colors you can easily find one or two that fit your container theme. Popular hybrid shades include burgundy, chartreuse, orange, pink, copper, almost black, purple, silver, and reds. Coral bells work as a filler or as a spiller if planted close to the edge of the container.
They do best in part sun, but tolerate full sun to shade in USDA growing zones 3-9. The leaf colors are more vibrant if they get some sun, however, too much sun can scorch the leaves of certain selections. If the leaves get a little ragged or sunburned, just remove them and new leaves will fill in the clump.
The tiny, bell-shaped flowers on airy stems attract hummingbirds and bees and continue to bloom all summer if the faded flowers are removed. Their height stays around 1 foot (0.3 m), with leaf colors transitioning to different shades depending on the season. Coral bells look stunning with taller plants such as a dwarf canna lily or ‘Red Star’ cordyline. Fill in with plants such as calibrachoa, salvia, and bacopa.
Explore a wide variety of coral bells for sale online from Wayside Gardens.
2. Coleus
Coleus plants (Coleus x hybridus) have come a long way since the days they were confined to shady environments. Today, many colorful cultivars tolerate full sun, part sun, or shade. So you can find selections that fit wherever your container sits. Leaf colors include combinations of lime green, chartreuse, red, burgundy, purple, pink, white, and orange.
I grow coleus every year in a porch container that is filled mostly with different coleus cultivars, as well as a pop of coral impatiens. Beloved for its foliage, coleus grows fast and benefits from lightly pinching the tips and lateral stems for a fuller and more robust plant. Pinching off the flower stalks benefits the foliage health.
Coleus pairs well with tall thrillers such as dwarf canna lily, Red Star cordyline, or taller coleus. You also can feature coleus as the thriller and pair it with Supertunias that serve as the filler and spiller. Or just fill the entire container with different coleus plants for a striking ensemble. Coleus is hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11, but is typically grown as an annual.
3. Million Bells
Million bells (Calibrachoa x hybrida) boast non-stop color for containers and baskets. The cheery, bell-shaped flowers in vibrant single or double blooms awaken our senses with names like ‘Magic Pink Lemonade,’ ‘Blackcurrant Punch,’ ‘Plum Cobbler,’ and ‘Good Night Kiss.’
The bright colors add pizzazz to any container planting and work as a filler or a spiller. Million bells are hardy in USDA zones 7-11 but are usually treated as annuals. Calibrachoa stay under 6 inches (15 cm) tall but can spread 2 feet (0.6 m) wide, so they make for good spiller plants.
They are prolific bloomers, but you must keep them fertilized regularly. At planting time incorporate a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10. Then use a water soluble fertilizer every two weeks thereafter. Give them full sun and acidic soil for the best performance. The good news is they don’t need deadheading to keep the flowers coming.
You can find colorful calibrachoa for sale in many nurseries or online from Lowe's.
4. Petunias
Petunias, especially Petunia x hybrida series such as Wave Petunias, Supertunia, and Supertunia Vista do double duty as a filler and a spiller plant. Just plant them near the edge of the container for a burst of color that fills in as well as cascades over the edge as the season progresses.
Large, trumpet-shaped petunias come in every color of the rainbow and fill the container with constant color. They prefer full sun to part shade with consistent moisture.
Petunias are heavy feeders so give them a continuous-release fertilizer at planting time and repeat in about two months. Also feed them water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks to keep them blooming. They are self-cleaning plants, so you do not need to deadhead. Usually treated as annuals, they are hardy in USDA zones 10-11.
Explore a huge array of colorful petunias from the Home Depot.
5. Salvia
There are many types of perennial and annual salvias, but if you’re looking for a plant that fills in containers fast and makes a big statement then look no further than mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea). Two of my favorite cultivars are 'Unplugged White' and 'Sallyfum Blue' from the Home Depot. This salvia variety grows upright – just what you need for a vertical, thriller accent – and reaches up to 2 feet (0.6 m) tall.
The elegant flower spikes and gray-green foliage pair well with double petunias, begonias, verbena, and sweet alyssum. Mealycup sage thrives in heat, does not need deadheading, and blooms from spring to frost in part to full sun. Regular watering and feeding keep it looking its best. This type of salvia is hardy in USDA zones 8-10, but is most often grown as an annual.
6. Japanese Sedge
Japanese sedges such as Carex oshimensis ‘Feather Falls’ and ‘Evergold’ serve as wonderful fillers or spillers in a container. Feather Falls, which is evergreen, features green and cream variegation on 18-inch (46 cm) arching stems, and Evergold showcases green with yellow variegation on 12-inch (30 cm) stems.
The clump-forming perennials look nice in containers alone or contrast well tucked in among yellow and purple flowering plants such as marigolds, angelonia, and petunias. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, plant them in part shade to shady containers. Foliage that looks untidy can be trimmed to encourage new growth.
You can find Evergold carex plants online from Garden Goods Direct.
7. Bacopa
Bacopa (Sutera cordata) is a trailing annual (except in USDA zones 9-11) with small green leaves and dainty white flowers that bloom until the first frost date. It grows 8 inches (20 cm) tall and 36 inches wide (91 cm) creating a show-stopping spiller for container arrangements.
This low-maintenance plant takes full to part sun and needs no deadheading. Pair it with colorful Supertunias and Unplugged White salvia for a dazzling, crisp display.
Shop elegant white bacopa plants online from the Home Depot.
