plants to add to your fall and winter container gardens

21 hours ago

2 min read

Charleston's fall season is very mild and typically fluctuates between cool and breezy evenings and warm, sunny days. One day may reach almost 80 degrees and the next is back down in the 60's! But, there are a few sure signs that winter is coming. The sun has started setting at 5:30, the night time temperatures are slowly creeping down, and the mosquitoes are finally leaving you alone in the garden! If you're manifesting winter weather and holiday cheer like us, here are our favorite plants to add to your fall and winter container gardens in zone 9!

Potting guide for container gardening. A grey pot with a terracotta rim and various plants. The thriller is a flax lily, fillers of various ferns and begonias, and ivy and lamium as spillers. Sold at Meeting Green.

How to Design a Container Garden

If you're planting a combination container garden, you almost always want to follow the phrase, "thriller, filler, spiller" when selecting plant material. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. There are no true hard and fast rules in the garden, but following a proven pattern for success is going to give you a full and professional-looking container every time! Charleston is known for its beautiful window baskets and pots, and the "thriller, filer, spiller" method is the way to achieve the same look!

Picking Plants for your Charleston Container

A "thriller" is typically the tallest, eye-catching centerpiece of your container. This plant (or plants, in large containers!) lives in the center or towards the back of your pot. Next, your "filler" plants literally fill in around your thriller. These plants have a clumping growth habit and help add texture and dimension to your design. Finally, "spiller" plants trail and spill over the sides of your container, helping coordinate the pot with the rest of the design. Don't be overwhelmed! To help eliminate decision fatigue, we like to tell customers to start with one plant or color they love. Once you have a starting point and understand the three types of plants you're looking for, picking plants become much easier!

What Plants we Recommend

The plants you choose for your winter containers should be cold hardy in zone 9. For thrillers in large containers, we recommend utilizing shrubs like camellias and boxwoods or cold hardy palms like the lady palm. For smaller containers, we love classic lemon cypress and tall snapdragons! Pansies or violas make great filler plants and add a pop of color. Plus, ornamental cabbages and dusty miller add interesting texture. We recommend ivy for a wonderful, winter spiller or lobularia for a more delicate flowering option.