In search of what may be the impossible

As some of you know, we are building a new house. One of my pet peeves is how the east side turned out visually from the outside. It's not facing an area that will be seen by most people, but it's gonna bug me to death. There's a space about 14 foot wide that has no window. Great for the inside room placement, but bad for outside looks. I've been looking at this area and hating it! I've decided that it needs a vine that grows huge and fast on a trellis and I would prefer one that has some winter interest also. A tree would be great if they would just grow faster than they do, so I've thrown that idea out. Anyone know of such a vine that will withstand zone 4 winters and start growing from the old vines the next spring? I've tried to find one through research, but not having much luck because my online research skills are limited by lack of knowledge.

Joan,

since i am not too familiar with areas of U.S. unless it is where i have lived in. as usual, i have to do some research on the internet. here are some plants i think might be suitable for ur area ... http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/DG0545vine.html , hope it helps. :)

You are such a doll Ma Vie, all your research!!

Thank you so much MaVie! I've read all the descriptions and the bittersweet sounds interesting. I'm going to look up all the plants on the list and get more info on each before making my decision.

You are so sweet and so good at researching things. You always come up with an appropriate answer for questions.

Thank you!

Joan, some trees are very fast growing......dont discard the idea of a tree or two.
birches are very fast growing as are Willows, I wouldnt go with a willow though, not so close to the house. I have a Birch sapling that I can send you, also, did we ever figure out about the butterfly bush? if it can withstand your winters? that would be another great one. Talk about your fast growing... Let me look it up and get back to you on that.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-10. Butterfly bush will die to the ground in winter in zones 5 and 6 but it comes back in spring

if you mulch it heavily it might survive......

:).

Thanks Pebble. I don't think the butterfly bush would survive. I'm only a zone 4 by the hair on my chinny chin chin! LOL! We are so close on the map that I think the people across the road are zone 3. I've never seen one in this area either. They are beautiful though.

About the birch sapling. I'd love to try that if you are sure you don't need it. They grow pretty fast? I didn't know that. I always thought they were a slow growing tree. We are at the age that we need to plant fast growing trees. LOL!

Maybe if I plant the birch sapling away from the house a fair bit, and plant a vine in the meantime, it will look okay until the tree grows up some. What do you think?

If you are serious about letting the sapling move here, let me know how much postage you think it will take and I'll mail it out.

Have you thought about growing Celastrus scandens (Jacob's-ladder American Bittersweet)? They can be grown into zone 3 and winter beautifully. The fruit of these vines stay on long into the winter providing food for the local furry and feathered friends. It does exceptionally well grown on a trellis and is a fast grower. A friend in Vermont grew this up the entire east side of her house (like yours, it wasn't easily seen from the road and had no windows and it also drove her crazy). Her home was a two story brick home. Her husband made a wood slat trellis to custom fit the side of the house. When she would trim it back in the fall we would take the vines with the berries still attached and make wreaths with them. Just a thought.

FLSuncoast-Annie

I have tons (ok, LOTS since I have a fence about 70 feet long with it on it) of woodbine also known as Virginia Creeper that I can share if you want that. It is a fast grower and pretty in spring, summer and fall. In the winter it has berries that the birds like and sometimes you will find the sprouts in your garden that the birds have spread but they are not a problem to pull out. Lani

Thank you Annie! I will look into that one too. I am going to build a wire trellis I think. I saw them do that on HGTV and you can hardly see the wires when the vines aren't growing on them.

Lani, I'll keep that in mind too, thank you. I won't be able to do this until next spring though. Would it be okay if I reminded you then? I'm not sure I'll get the trellis built soon enough for the plants to get a good start before winter.

Joan, I dont mind parting with it at all. it's only 2-3 ft yet, but they are a fast grower. How about in a couple of weeks? or should we wait till it goes dormant? in which case it would be nov when they lose their leaves?

let me know

I'm not sure which would be best for the tree. I think maybe it would take the shipping better when it was dormant, what do you think? Then I could keep it dormant until spring.

Joan you can dig the hole for the tree now and when it is dormant just plant it then. We did that with our Christmas trees in Minnesota winters when I was small. We took the soil that we dug out into the house for a day to thaw and it was easy to plant the tree. Then the day that it is ready to grow in the spring, it can.
I would not have any problem with you waiting till spring for the vines if you decide that Virginia Creeper is what you want. Lani

Thanks so much Lani, I'll let you know if that's the one I decide on. I have been looking some up and I'll give my husband a chance to see pictures of them too. Thanks for the info on the tree planting too, if it will work in Minnesota, it should work here.

Pebble, I would love the tree, and it sounds like it would be okay to wait until it's dormant. Let me know if that sounds like a plan to you.