Help Me Choose Vine for Special Place

[JaneG]

My best friend lost her very special baby girl to SIDS. This bench was placed in our local park in memory of Victoria Ann. The trellis over the bench was added this spring because it's in full sun all day and people weren't using it. It will be years before those trees provide much shade. That's a walking path in front of the bench.

I've offered to "landscape" this bench/trellis area. Of course I want to start with a vine for the trellis. I don't want something that will be extremely messy and it will have to be something that's hardy once established. I will haul water for the first year to get it going, after that it will have to fend for itself, except in extreme cases.

I've considered Trumpet Vine but it's huge and aggressive, would it be to big? Is the yellow less aggressive? (I love Petal Pusher's trumpet vine on her swing, pics in another thread.)

Clematis, not sure if the conditions are right. Would Sweet Autumn be the best clematis choice for this use?

Honeysuckle, as long as it's not the super-invasive Japanese honeysuckle?

I've never grown Silver Lace vine, but have been wanting to try it after seeing pictures in this forum. Would it work here?

I've kind of ruled out a climbing rose because of thorns and jap beetles.

Other suggestions?

Should I put a vine on each side? If so, two different ones or should they be the same kind? What else??

Thanks for your help. I'm really excited about this project and making this a very special place.

[Patrushka]

Jane, I'm so sorry for the loss of Victoria Ann. Hugs and my deepest sympathy to your friend. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it is to lose a child.

What a lovely memorial. I'm sure you will make it beautiful whatever you decide on. I would vote for sweet autumn clematis or red honeysuckle like OED's. If you planted both of them, one on each side, you would have blooms at different times. Will you be planting anything at the base of the vines? Be sure to post pics when you are finished.

[Old earth dog]

Trumpet creeper, yellow or red, woud be way to aggressive. Silver lace vine grows extreamly fast and could cover a garage in a season or two. Sweet autumn Clem is a fast grower, but is easily controlled with annual pruning once it gets established. The Scarlet Honeysuckle vine is nothing like the L. Japoniica. It doesn't get nearly as big or aggressive. There is a really nice (I think) annual vine. Two actually. Cardinal vine and Cypress vine. Similar flower, different leaf form. Both belong in the same family as Morning Glories. Both are hummer magnets as is the red Honeysuckle. Both reseed easily here in St. Louis.
The Sweet Atumn Clem would probably be the easiest on the wooden lattace. In a few years, it's solid white with small, late summer blooms.
Baby's Breath would be very fitting at the base.

[wishiwere]

Oh JaneH! Love that bench setting. OED is right, baby's breath would add a nice touch. What about an ivy or something that doesn't need pruning after it matures? Not sure if they do, but sounds like it will 'on it's own' and a clem or other in our area would need pruning most likely I'd think.

[kHT]

How about a nice pink shade of Wisteria? Again we are so sorry to hear of this families loss.