I personally would plant a climbing rose, suited to our climate. I have a half-dozen varieties I planted a couple springs ago on the north side of a 6ft fence. I had just moved into my first house, not thinking of the lack direct sun during the winter. They grew absolutely just fine with tons of flowers. They only stopped getting sun a few weeks ago. Plant them further away from the wall and in a raised bed and sun will reach them longer.

If a showy spring is important, I believe the "rambler" types would suit you for an impressive flush although I don't believe they repeat bloom. The MEVRS site suggests that all climbing types grow very well here.

Cat's claw, Macfadyena unguis-cati. Has to be kept under control but a good grower in our climate.

Bogenvia, assuming that's what "boggies" means, don't do too well in freezes either. They normally come back but not always too fast. I have some that do well, some that don't.

If you want unique there are lots of things you can try, which might just happen to survive in your exact location. In our climate a plant might survive in one spot and die if planted 1 foot away. 3 million people in the Phoenix area, all the unique easy to grow plants have long since been discovered and are now common imo.

Make very sure you want that cat's claw before you plant it. You will never get rid of it and it speads excessively. The former owner planted it to grow into the patio cover which it did - thick and heavy. Mosquito's were breeding in it. When we pulled it all down, because the supporting beams for the patio cover were rotting, we had to use the truck to drag the mass to the alley for bulk trash pickup. And now it will not stop sprouting. It laughs at Round Up. I hate cat's claw.

Try Bower vine. The climbing roses sound like a good option too. My north facing wall is a rock garden with cacti planted among the rocks.

Do not plant cats claw near your house. You will regret it.

In difficult situations, go for the common, see them everywhere plants. There's a reason they are popular, it's because they are easy to grow and hard to kill.

If you don't mind a deciduous vine, have you considered queen's wreath? It can take the heat, and doesn't care in the winter. Short-term, try annual vines like Armenian cucumber to protect vines you are trying to establish.

Fast-growing annuals, like scarlet runner beans, lab-lab beans or others might work for you.

The warnings on Cat's Claw are fairly justified, although mosquitoes breeding in it is way over the top. There's no standing water in Cat's Claw.

I may be a bit full of myself but I consider myself smarter than Cat's Claw. I'm not going to plant it where I can't control it. I'm not going to plant it on a structure that can't support it. I'm not going to plant it and expect to never do any pruning to control it. I have no problem pulling seedlings. I consider myself a gardener.

But yeah, if you want a plant that can be put in the ground and forgotten then Cat's Claw is a poor choice. I don't know you're interest in gardening.

"....although mosquitoes breeding in it is way over the top"

well okay, maybe they did not breed there, just hung out there. Whatever. The thick mass of cat's claw on top of the patio cover was infested with mosquitos.

Your caustic attitude is unnecessary. I didn't plant it. I inherited it and was simply warning the unwary of its aggressive potential. Speaking of aggressive.....jeez. Lighten up.

If you decide you want cats claws, I have plenty. I'd be happy to give you some to start. I don't like mine but my husband likes them for some odd reason.
How about two annuals. Maybe lab lab ( a tropical bean that might survive the winter and has beautiful flowers, also comes in a red leaf variety) and maybe a winter vine like scarlet runner bean. Won't make beans but you should get pretty red flowers despite the fairly low light.

Lighten up??? Pot, meet kettle.

One other plant you might consider is Tangerine Crossvine. I've got it on the south and north side of a wall on the east side of my house and it's done great on both sides. It needs help climbing but otherwise is really eager to grow. It's got mostly evergreen foliage (mine was 100% undamaged by this past winter's record freeze, uncovered) and it has two big flushes of blooms a year (spring/autumn) with random blooms all summer long. I've had mine for four years now and really love it. Most of the local nurseries have them for sale. It's NOT the same plant as orange trumpet vine (Campsis radicans).

Take a look and give it some thought. Let us know what you pick and how it works out. It's fun to hear who is growing what, where and how, and how it does (good or bad). Good luck!

Take care,
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Tangerine Crossvine info from the breeder, Monrovia