Black-eyed Susan vine doesn't get too wild and the flowers are bright enough to stand out...Why not just put the mandevilla in the ground? I would think you could transplant it easy enough...Some of the MGs (ipomoea nil) don't get real tall either...Painted Lady runner bean is nice and attracts humming birds and doesn't get more than 6-8' tall. Actually a lot of the runner beans are nice.

Thanks for the ideas, Ronnie. I have been thinking of tucking some veggies in with the flowers and using the Scarlet Runner bean is a perfect 2 birds, 1 stone solution. Mandevillas aren't hardy here and it seems silly to put it in the ground just to take it out three months later.

Barbara

Blackeye susies are nice but dont forget Hyacinth Bean vine they easy to control too.

Here it is a year later it did well ove the winter here.
Blackeyed susie 3/08

Good lookin' vine, angie. The Black Eyed Susie is an annual here and has always done well for me but I was thinking of something with a bigger blossom, more obvious from the curbside. My house is set waaaaaay back from the street on a pie-shaped lot. All the yard is in the front and I have very little in the back. Whoever plotted that out was obviously not a gardener, not did s/he have kids who needed a private place to play. But that's a rant for a different place and time :)

How about Asarina Scandens? Not such a good picture, but you get the idea.

Kathy

Wow those are beautiful never seen them .

I've never seen or heard of that plant before, either. A little googling finds it called Trailing / Climbing / Twining Snapdragon. It's lovely. Now, to try and find some seeds locally and not have to create a new mail order.....

Niobe clematis. filix

clitorea ternatea is a nice smaller vine(especially in your zone), and the double blue is most people's favorite.

Centrosema vierginianum is nice, too, and has large flowers, but doesn't bloom but in the fall.

My first thought was thunbergia, just like the others. They come in different colors, if orange isn't your thing.

There are several manettias that are nice and behaved/small, like m. inflata, and m. cordifolia

I also plant the Asarina Scandens/snapdragon vines and you can get them in other colors, white, pink, burgundy. A real plus is that they aren't heavy like morning glory vines but light and wispy. Plus they are beautiful! Thanks for the picture Kathy.
Tina