I hear the hops vine is hard to kill. Mine sure is, having survived the neighbor who doused my fence in Round Up.
It's not evergreen and I pull all vines off the fence in the fall - some people just leave them up to support the vine the following year. It sends up new growth from the ground in the spring, which is why it has little trouble living through some pretty cold weather.

Fast grower, possibly invasive, although I don't think as much as Virginia Creeper (another possible choice for your zone, I think) - don't stand still too long nearby as it will twine around you. I just hack off the pieces that are going where I don't want them to.
Nice foliage and it gets pretty little hops (used for making beer) in the fall - nice for dried flower arrangements. Some folks are a little allergic to the fuzzy stems of this plant, I get a short-lived contact rash if I don't cover up when taking the vine down.

C.

I responded to your posting in the 'Vines' forum... just to give you more confidence, we ARE actually growing all the things I mentioned (plus a whole lot more clematis varieties than I mentioned) in zone 3, with full hardiness. (Oops, I lied - we don't actually have virginia creeper in this yard, but it is a commonly grown hardy vine even in zone 2.)
Lots to choose from...
Lori

Iwant to thanks everyone for their advice and informtion. I am so looking forword to spring just so I can start on vines.
Thanks
lee

I have a Nelly Moser clematis that is huge and I don't do anything to it!

I wanted to thanks everyone for your information. I cant waite to get started. Where is the best place to get the vines from?

I wanted to thanks everyone for your information. I cant waite to get started. Where is the best place to get the vines from?

Is there a garden center near you? That's generally the best place, as the people there have an interest in seeing you succeed, and can give you advice on planting, care, selection, and choice of species or variety. (Which, unfortunately, most people don't follow, LOL!, but it is normally offered if you ask for it.) Failing that, do some reading about basic plant care. Common hardy vines don't need any care beyond the basics of what any other planting in your area needs.
Then, if there's no garden center, is there at least a box store/hardware store that sells plants seasonally? So long as you grab the plants right off the truck, and have some eye for a healthy specimen, (buy potted plants, and avoid cheap plants sold in little waxed cardboard boxes with the roots cut off, and things like that), you can do alright too, but don't expect advice from the staff. Basically, just try to get what looks to you like the healthiest plant.
Mail order is another option, however, you don't get to see the plant before you buy it. You can get either dormant bare-root stock or potted plants, depending on what that particular business handles.

Hi, you can always check with "Wally/World" in spring as they have a good selection of ALL PLANTS & FLowers. Also a good place in ND is in FARGO at "Bakers" Nursery. They have everything & very nice too. We live outside of Grand Forks,but always go to "Bakers," its located on "University" ST. South. Good Luck! Razen

Wow!
Whereabouts in the state are you folks? I'm near Valley City.
I haven't peeked at this page forever and now, all of a sudden, north dakota gardeners are popping up all over the place. I used to check the page frequently, hoping to hook up with some folks here (with no luck) to possibly make trades and talk about plants in the hinterland. Any takers?

Maybe your NDers should join the ranks of other states, and start your OWN forum. Join up with SDers, too and discuss common things you have there on the high plains.

It's all really interesting to hear of all the region/state specific issues and places to buythings, etc.

Ya that sounds good to me. I live in hazen ND it is about 80 miles from Bismark. I think that it would be nice to all be able to chat.

What about Clematis tangutica, AKA 'Golden Clematis'. It seems to be tougher than many varieties of clematis. It will grow and bloom here in Southcentral Alaska which is more or less USDA Zone 3.

I grow hops in pots and place the pot under my trellis each year. That contains its spread and allows me to move it around. I winter it over in the pot, buried in soil.

Wow what a great responce to this question. I have so many that I want to try now all i have to do is get the seeds an plant them. I have been trading for seeds so I have some. I will just have to try and see what comes from all of them. I am so excited thanks everyone for all of your help!!!!
Lee

Dropmore Honeysuckle does very well-blooms a long time and the hummingbirds love it. Hops Humulus (golden) grows like crazy here (eastern N. Dak.) Also, quite a few different varieties of clematis. I grow the grape "valiant" which is a rampant lovely wine with the added bonus of abundant blue grapes(much like small concord)

1. I have had great luck with Reliance seedless grapes and they are delicious. 2. Can't kill the woodbine if I tried. 3. The Explorer hardy climbing roses have yet to suffer any winterkill even when exposed (will see after this year's negative 36 degrees last week!). 4. The hardy kiwi vines are amazing. Fast growing and indestructible. Huge, even! So far, no fruit though. :( 5. Blackberries do well here, also.

I've just signed on to the forum and love all the questions and responses. Hope this isn't too late to be of some help. I have a 10 year old Jackmani clematis that grows very tall and flowers abundantly. We also have dropmore honeysuckle along one side of our deck for some privacy. The flowers are lovely. We prune it regularly so it doesn't get so out of hand. We also have Engelman ivy growing on our backfence and I don't think anything could kill that. Two years ago I planted a piece of grape ivy that I received from our son in Minneapolis. Although he gets grapes, I didn't have any but the vine was beautiful. It filled 4 tall trellises which are about 36" wide. My neighbor loved it when it went up and over our fence into her yard. It formed a canopy type effect. I planted a Jackson and Perkins Peace climbing rose last year but didn't get any flowers. It came back and appears to be doing well thus far.

I am dealing with a triple whammy: short growing season and cold winters (to -40), very poor clay soil, and either full sun or no sun depending on which side of the house you are on. I have tried clematis in our front garden, which faces north and gets no direct sunlight. It did not do well, but might have done better in the south-facing backyard.

This discussion was very helpful. I will try some of your suggestions this year. I would like to find a vine to grow up a lattice screen in the backyard.

I am also looking for Doyle (?) thornless blackberries, which I understand were bred to grow in Northern Alberta. Being from the south coast of BC, I miss blackberries so much!