Anna I have had good success as well growing a clematis in a large container here in Tucson. Enjoyed reading about your experience and advise on doing this. I used a thick layer of wood chips on top of the potting soil in my container and it definitely seemed to make the plant do better.

My Little Bas did very well in a large container until the winter of 2013/2014. It was a really bad winter, and the container was well-covered with about 6' of snow (which should have protected it) but it never came back after that. I haven't tried any others since, so this may have been a onetime deal. I can't profess to know what killed it after just one trial, but I am hesitant to try container growing again in this climate.

I have lost a few in the ground and in containers, but i would say less than 10%. I remember when I lived in Canada, we would wrap our shrubs and trees for winter,,,I guess you could insulate a pot. How big was the pot you used and was it the thermal kind?

Thankyou all for the acorns and thumbs!!!!

I'm in the same zone as Chelle and I had the same experience. Not once, but three times. Three different varieties, three different (large) containers, same result. Two of them survived their first winter, but didn't make it through the next one.

Those odds are too high. I wouldn't do containers if I lived in your zone

But the ones in the ground do fine. I wonder how one in a container would fare if it were brought in for the winter? Hmmm, I may have to try that on my NEXT attempt (sigh) at growing a Florida Sieboldii.

Power to you! I have to tried to grow that 2 x in the ground and lost it. Yet Lovemyhouse who lives not too far and one of my other local friends grows it and it looks gorgeous in both gardens.

Ha! Glad to know it's not just me! Next time for sure!

canadanna said:... How big was the pot you used and was it the thermal kind?

Not thermal; just heavy, embossed plastic. I'm guessing maybe ten gallons? 30" wide by 32" deep...too heavy to move when full and moist at any rate.