Q.How to plant
Acanthus mollis: to restrict its width growth, can it be planted in a 5 gallon container with the bottom cut out? It is for an area only 30″ wide.Any other suggestions?

Certified GKH Gardening Expert
What I would do would be to plant an empty pot in the ground, and put the plant in a restricted container inside of this pot, so that it can be removed. This will take diligent trimming of the top and the roots each year, so this design will help it to be much easier for you. It will combine the aspects of container, and in ground gardening, so that you can control size, while still maintaining a professional appearance.