I just bought a franziska maria clematis and due to a very shady yard, am hoping to plant it in a container in front of a west-facing wall that gets at least a few hours of afternoon sun, with strings running up the wall for the clematis to climb.

I'm worried, though, about how it will fair in a container in our Wisconsin winters. I'm also wondering how large the container needs to be to support its root system.

Am I heading down the wrong path? I've got to confess that I have managed to kill clematis' several times in the past, in other houses, but there is just something about them that keeps me coming back! I've got to get it right eventually...right?

Alternatively, I could plant it directly in the ground near a south-facing wall, but this is not a part of the yard that is very visible and I wouldn't get to enjoy it as much as the west-facing side.

Advice welcome!