Suggestions for vines and climbers in zone 4?

I live in ND and have an old swing-set that the kids aren't using anymore. I would love any suggestions you may have. Tried growing a silver lace vine and loved it, but it didn't survive the winter. Has anyone else up here tried it? I would love to try it again, but leery, I don't want to have to replant it each year.

Definitely open to any ideas...

Do you want flowering or not? Is the swingset in sun, part sun? I have all kinds of vines and climbing plants, and am always trying something new, and usually don't have a place in mind, just like things different. I planted a male kiwi last year, and it is showing buds now, so made it thru the winter, and clematis, and morning glories, and am starting seeds now for red cypress vines and trumpet vines and grape vines, and cinnamon vines. How much time do you have for maintenance? I, personally, am really bad at that, lol!

Oh, edited to add that I also have honeysuckle and wisteria, and am also starting climbing bleeding heart seeds, too.

This message was edited Apr 20, 2010 8:02 PM

I would love something with flowers but am open to other ideas. The swing set is one of the few areas in my little yard that gets good sunlight from about 11am till the sun go down. I actually have time galore for maintenance :)

I was just reading some entries on the trumpet vine and there are a lot of negative entries on its invasive tendencies. What has your experience been?

I think that the yellow tends to be less invasive than the orange, but my hasn't been invasive at all. Must be our cold winters. As a matter of fact, it took me 2 years to get it to even grow some. Have you thought about clematis? They flower all summer, and come in so many different colors, and are very hardy. I love mine, and even planted 6 more last year. Morning glories are annuals, but they will re-seed themselves too. As much trouble as I had with the trumpet vine, don't know if I would do that one again. Can't wait to see how my red cypress vines do, especially since hummingbirds love them. That would be a great perk with them. But the hummers love my morning glories too. I started most of mine from seeds, except for the clematis and the kiwis. And sweet peas would be another possibility, although, I personally am struggling with them to get them going good. I think it's just me, though, cuz other people here have them and theirs are doing great. Again, they are annuals, but will re-seed. Problem with the morning glories, only bloom in the mornings, so most of the afternoon you won't have blooms to enjoy. Clems like their roots kind of shaded, so would probably do really well there, tho.