I had a Joanne Pring in a 20" or so patio pot (maybe it was 22", don't remember, it was fully sealed, so no need for a liner). along with a dwarf cattail and a pickeral weed.

Depending on the variety, they may or may not work well in containers. Joanne Pring is a very small water lily and is suited to containers.

I wouldn't recommend glass. I think it would cause the water to heat up too much which would drive algae blooms. But a nice decorative pot, as long as it's sealed, could work (depending on what varieties you have).

If you'll have stagnant water, be sure to consider methods of mosquito control! I used dunks in mine, which worked quite well.