In my garden, Rose Zephirine Drouhin dies back to the snow line each winter so would never get to cover the pergola. If you think a clematis is slow, you don’t want a climbing hydrangea since they are slower, and I don’t know if the pergola would be stout enough to support it. They can get quite large and heavy eventually.

If you want shade now while the kiwis are sizing up, plan on fastening shade cloth until you have enough coverage. Plants grow in their own time, so gardening can be something of a lesson in patience.

Thank you folks for the wisdom. I am going to be patient. I am going to be patient. I am going to be patient.....

Viola, I've planted several tall R. alba semi-plenas near kiwis against a fence. Spectacular! They cummingle (sp? ) beautifully but the kiwis will need a good trim now and then. Steve J

USDA zone 3. SW WI So far this winter we've hit -40°C/F

Perhaps Late Dutch Honeysuckle 'Serotina' might work as a companion. Over the years we planted a variegated (male) kiwi, an 'Issai' kiwi that doesn't need a pollinator - but does better with one, a Serotina' honeysuckle and multiple clematises on the north alley wire-mesh fence. The kiwis were planted in 2014 and we've been rigorous about controlling their size - so far at least! The 'Issai' set fruit in 2017 but it didn't ripen. In 2018 it didn't set any fruit.

Here is a picture of them all on the fence in late June 2018 as the honeysuckle was finishing its first bloom and the 'Betty Corning' clematis was in bloom - later there are other clematises that also bloom in the top corner ('Jackmani Superba' and 'Huldine'):

How big/sturdy is your pergola? Post a picture of it....?

Regarding the comment on late frosts in SW PA killing Kiwi flowers...the further north you go, the less likely there will be a frost after bud break. Montreal would almost never get such a late frost that would kill Kiwi flowers. North of Toronto, my parents have never missed a crop over 20 years of growing the vines.

They are thugs btw...

Hi everyone. Just updating on this. I planted Clematis Blue Ravine and Honeysuckle Goldflame on the two empty posts. I am now trying to train them on the posts. I am sure in 5-6 years it will be a jungle there, but I am ready for it.

I also had my eyes on the Eden rose (apparently does well in semi shade and is gorgeous) but couldn't get a local source and it was too late for mail order this year for me. I also have my eyes for a second garden for all those plants that keep following me back home.

I also keep thinking my kiwis might be both female. I am surprised the landscape guy would do this (or maybe he was sold the wrong plant?), but after spending a ridiculous time looking at plant genitals, this is what it seems to be. This queer couple need to adopt or find a good pollen donor if I want some baby kiwis. I am not sure if I will have space for a male tree in the garden now. Are there any arctic kiwi types that can do without a pollinator by any chance, assuming this were intentional? Or the dude assumed I had no interest in the fruit?

I can't type on my phone but there is a type that has both male and female flowers I have it and it is flowering. I had hoped it would pollinate my female one but I'm not sure if it will do that. It's spelled i s s a i.