Thriller, Spillers, Fillers . . . Where Did That Come From?

How to make a container 101.  While, I think it can be attractive to add a vertical accent to a container, I also think following the spiller, filler, thriller rule of thumb, with the thriller being the vertical element, frequently can result in an unbalanced, unattractive container planting.   Look at the two pictures below of the containers in front of the Visitor Center at the Morton Arboretum.   Which do you like better?  I like the one without the Norfolk pine (I'm not, actually sure it is a Norfolk pine, but it looks like one).

 

Try to balance the height in a container like the one below.

Since I Am On The Subject of Tall(er) Plants That Don't Flop . . . . Dahlia XXL Hidalgo

I love dahlias.  Perhaps that is an exaggeration?  I do really like them though.  What I don't like is staking plants.  I'm not always sure of the best way to do it and I don't like when you can see the stakes before the plants grow tall enough to obscure them.  In that vein, I really do like this dahlia from Dummen . . Red Fox.  It is a wonderful apricot color. I think it would look great mixed with Helenium and Sedum in the fall.

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New Vintage Achillea

This is shorter than I would ideally like, but it looks great (not weedy and doesn't flop)

Vintage Rose