Hey all!

I am thinking about growing climbing hydrangeas on a very sturdy 4x4 and 2x4 structure on my deck that is begging for something to cover it. I live in Seattle, the deck area gets full sun a majority of the day, and all of it is reachable so that I can tie bit by bit to support at first, etc. I have a few questions before I dive right in.

First, can the actual plant be based in a container? I can make the container a pretty large one, but it would just be a lot easier to keep on my deck rather than working the shoots from far below where the only in-ground planting prospects can be found. If I can't use a container, I'm sure I can take out the vinca minor along the ground there and squeeze it in, and that area still gets a good amount of sun, I was just hoping to cut out some of the growing time, because it's another 5 feet down.

My second, and main question, involves the damage that could be done to the deck structure itself. I know the plant does not have anywhere near the destructive potential of something like wisteria, but I'm still concerned about the possible damage to the wood, because I'm in a long-term rental situation and don't really want to take the deck down accidentally if this gets out of control. Can anyone help me out? I'd also really appreciate any tips you might have about maintaining the plant, as I've only ever grown the regular ol' bushy varieties and have no experience with climbing hydrangea. Can anyone help me out? Thanks!