Sorry folks. When I posted this thread, I was at work. I couldn't recall where my pergola picture was. That's why I had to do ascii drawing(link above) of my pergola.

Anyways, here is a picture of the pergola I built last year. My hyacinth vines are now 16-18 inches tall. I have sixteen of them.

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Your pergola is beautiful as is the brickwork and firepit. Did you do all of it yourself?

I'm not sure if the hyacinth bean vine will be able to cling/climb the posts or not. I use fishing line that's threaded between c-hooks screwed in the wood for my non clingy vines to climb but I don't know that you want to screw anything into those posts. Maybe you could use the stretchy green plastic tape looking stuff that you get at a garden center. I don't know what it's called but I think it's used primarily for wrapping grafts. You could try tying the vines to the post as they grow until they reach over the top. Once they've grown long enough you could remove the ties. It's just a thought. Good luck. BTW did you see the post with the pics of the crossvine on the pergola?

Here is a link that might be useful: what to do with a crossvine

Yes, I did it myself last year. I posted daily pictures while I was building it at our design forum. I'm including the link below.

Wow, that's a great idea. I just remembered the visteria vine near Algonquin Library. Last year, I went there to harvest some pods. I saw a metal string and an eye-bolt. I even got shocked when I saw the metal string and the eye-bolt. It got bent. :)

I will check the link you sent.

Thanks so much!!!

Neil

Here is a link that might be useful: Pergola/Patio build

Wow, your pergola is so nice! Will hyacinth bean be the only vine you're using for coverage? I'm new to the "vine for shade" topic but it seems to me that if you were going to use a wood-ier vine as well that you might train the less sturdy annual vine of the two up the stronger?

I'm new to vine as well. I was also given 10 year old group 3 clematis and it's showing up now about 2 inches from ground. :) It's about 2 ft away from the post though. Impossible to get it closer due to the patio pavers.

Looks like a crossvine will work but I may have to wait 5 years too. I think that's the only way, and that is to wait.

I figured out a way on how I will make them climb.

So now for the big pots, I honestly don't know how many cubic ft I need to fill one 18 inch diameter, 14 inch tall pot. I want to also save money. Last year, I grew moonflower on a 10 inch diameter pot about 10 inch deep. It grew but it wasn't that thick. I don't want to experience that again.

How will you do it if planting it on a pot?

or should I use real dirt?

Here is an update. I'll be using potting mix as mentioned to me at Annuals forum.

I was able to put the 3/8" metal cables. I ran out of cable but only few posts remaining. Ooops, forgot to remove the christmas lights. They'll be replace with nicer ones.

The double metal cable is for etoile violette clematis. The single metal cables are for the hyacinth vine.
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That looks like it will work just fine and the cables should be covered by foliage later in the summer. Those cables look like they're strong enough to support even the heavier woody perennial vines. Looks great!

Thanks! :)