What a treat that would be to visit Van Dusen Botanical Garden. If you get to go, please take lots of photos to share with all of us.
Would love to see photos of your semp plantings.
The only strawberry pots I've had success with are the ones with pocket edges that are the same height as the top of the hole in the side of the pot.
Both sedum and semps do well in them. But I do believe it is easier to grow semps in regular pots. We have many semp collectors that grow them exclusively in pots.