Located in Illinois, Zone 5. We can get -20* F and stay below freezing for weeks at a time. I just don't know if I can leave them in a pot on the porch or if they should be protected more than that scenario.

Should be fine on porch they are very hardy

Maybe very hardy in the ground but young or small plants in a container will not be equally as cold tolerant. In fact, the roots of just about any plant will be the most sensitive to cold temps and can be easily damaged - or the plant killed - if exposed to sub zero temps. Which they will in a container with full exposure to ambient air temps (significantly lower than even frozen soil temps).

If you cannot heel them into the soil somewhere, then I'd opt for the unheated garage. You want them to go dormant and stay dormant for the winter but not freeze solid.

I agree with gardengal. I would bury the pot in the ground. I have done that in the past with various plants and it works well.

I asked about the severity of the OPs winters for a reason. It might have read as if I meant the plants could stay outdoors regardless. But notice I said not to keep them in the house. That wasn't meant to preclude any kind of protection. If they can't go in the ground the garage would probably work. They need to be dormant in winter, not green.

Floral, my comment was directed at Kevin's remark about them being very hardy and OK on the porch. The two statements do not necessarily go hand in hand and I just wanted to make sure the OP understood that.

Got it. I have a perfect place that I could put the pot into the ground for protection but still be outside, but our little rabbit buddies like to snip off anything that grows. Rose bushes, willow bush, gooseberry bushes, etc..... I'll probably settle for the garage as much as I'd like to have them outside in a garden setting.

Hmmmm, I wonder if Gooseberry Pie goes well with Rabbit Stew....?????

You can always protect it with some judicious use of chicken wire :-))

In Ohio, an unheated garage works for me. Maybe set them near an interior wall which will give off a very minor amount of heat.