A lesson learned

I have just been sorting out containers and repotting some. I found that in quite a few my 'surround plantings' had taken over the whole pot. My favourite japanese acer was completly root bound with golden marjoram, a hibiscus had a seemingly small, yellow flowered, seedling bush completely entwined round it's roots, the ampelopsis pot was crowded with alpine strawberries, and one of the blueberries was completely strangled by ivy.
I think I'll stick to decorative stone or lobelia in future.

 

I know its tempting Liz to try to brighten up the pots with other SMALL plants, but they do so at the expense of the main plant. :(

 

A lot of my ground pots have lobelia seedlings from last year, dropped from the wall baskets, as in my M. Gall photo, free plants that don't take over permanently! :D

 

small annuals would be better, what you used seem to be perennial that create a bigger root system as you know