Maybe marsh marigold for the willow, and creeping mahonia for the chokecherry?

Kevin : )

Marsh marigold is a great idea! I'll look into the mahonia. I've heard of it but don't know much about ti.

Thanks!!

I'm a newbie at this so may not have my info correct--if you know for sure say so--it may not be a good idea to plant a small specimen in a large pot. An anaerobic wet zone may develop in the pot below where the roots are pulling out water. This is something I always fear, so would like confirmation or better ideas.

Slight correction on your Aronia--it's chokeberry; not chokecherry, which is Prunus.

Pasadena, you are right. It is a chokeberry. I have also heard it's sometimes not good to put a small plant in a large pot but I don't really know. Perhaps a layer of gravel just below the roots but within the pot be a good idea. Can't think that it would hurt anyway. I'd better look into that. Thanks for the reminder!
Vanessa

It's true, planting a small plant in a big pot is often risking root rot. I didn't say anything because planting companion plants is one of the best ways around that problem. Master Gardeners have recently (on the "garden geezer" scale) found out that a layer of gravel actually slows drainage. Any sudden change in soil texture stops drainage until the layer of soil above is saturated, even a change from moderate to fast drainage: try it with an old ant farm, sometime! Instead, just put a piece of plastic window screen, or counted cross-stitch screen, over the drain hole, to keep the soil from running out.

Kevin : )