In the second part of this three part series, we are going shopping for our thrillers, fillers and spillers. If you missed the first part on soil preparation, you might want to check that one out. If you are ready for outdoor planter design, here are a few tips before we head to the nursery:

1. Set a budget:

Maybe money doesn’t matter to you, but for most folks a budget is a good idea to keep you in line. It is super easy to spend a lot at the nursery so start with a max spend limit and try to stay within. To help stay in budget, look for plant “plugs” in 6-pack containers. You might want a few larger plants in 4.5″ pots, but if you only purchase that way, you will be spending a pretty penny.

2. Map out your design:

Have an idea of what your outdoor planter design will be. The nursery will be overflowing with plants and annuals and that can easily become overwhelming. To keep from spending hours walking the aisle, do a quick sketch of what you want and research those plants a head of time. Choose a focal point (thrillers), fill in around or in front of the focal (fillers) and finish with plants that drap down over the side of your container (spillers)

3. Consider the sun:

Know where you planters face and choose those plants that do best considering the amount of sun and light. Is your planter in the sun all day? Is it only in the sun during the hot afternoon hours? These are all good questions to consider when plotting our your design

Experiment with different plants and find out what works best for your containers. Have fun and enjoy shopping for your summer annuals.