Also, everyone is talking about how invasive it is, yet I also hear that anything with deet or any bug killer will do the vine in, so I don't quite understand why they are so hard to control?

They spread from underground runners and seeds.

I have heard the advice to plant it out in the middle of your lawn on a pole to train it into a tree/shrub type plant. Then you mow all around it which pretty much takes care of all the little sprouters. As long as it isn't near your house or other structure I would go for it. I have seen them bloom when they are grown this way and they are gorgeous. Madame Galen is supposed to be more well behaved than the stright species anyway.