Creeping fig will get between the slats and grow over to your neighbor's side and ruin the fence, but as hoovb noted, wood fences don't last long anyway. If you have any sewer or septic systems nearby, do yourself a favor and pull it out now. It's real trouble if you have a crack in one of your sewer lines. Creeping fig also prefers full sun. Mine never grew at all in the shade, but the one on a south-facing fence is growing like gangbusters. It took a few years to get established. Is there any sun at all? If there is enough sun, you should plant more of them in March or April, about six feet apart, to get faster coverage. But they will not cover the fence in a year, and the 2x4s will still show when it does cover the fence. For covering ugly fences, I am a big fan of shrubs over vines. I started with vines, but found that they grow to the top of the fence, form a big wad up there, and get bare underneath. Sometimes mine would cascade beautifully down the other side for my neighbors. Ingrates. I don't think the Madagascar jasmine is a fast grower, and I'm not sure what the purple honeysuckle is. We'd need a botanical name to give you more info on that, probably. The vine I am most happy with after years of gardening is star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Evergreen, coverage from top to bottom of the vine, glossy green leaves, heavenly scent, and easy-care. It would require some attachment to the fence. I bought a big one (15 gal) so I would not have to wait for coverage and it has been fantastic. An all-around great plant. Renee

Hi Lucidity: I had a passiflora caerrula(sp?) a few years ago, that I cut back and brought into my unheated garage to store (dark and dormant). In late February or early March, I put it under shop lights in the garage, and it started to put on new growth. It is fairly hardy, and so could be put out quite early in spring to harden off, but brought in if freeze was forecast. Late april, early May it went out for good. You could move it out permanently earlier if you throw some of that shrub protector fabric or row cloth around it if the temps drop suddenly. I have to say even though the foliage was lovely draped over an arbour, mine wasn't too successful with flowering - I only got a few blooms in August/September, but they were stunning. Unfortunately, I lost it by trying to overwinter it outside (as an experiment) in a protected corner, raised and buried in bags of leaves and insulation. It was a very cold winter that year and my experiment failed - too bad I hadn't waited 'till last year, when it was so mild. Good luck with yours. Judith

Hi To my knowledge there are none that won't grow in 10?? Be careful with them some are VERY invasive . If you want them for fruit be sure to get the fruiting types which produce much better fruit. Try to taste some of the cultivars to help you decide. I tried growing the green jade once but found it needed to get much larger than I had room .lol This also seems to be true of the red jade also. They are both very cold sensitve but if you have the room give it a shot . Have never grown the "orchid vine. gary

Mine has not poked its head up yet either, but don't give up hope. I have had a year here or there where it hasn't shown up until June, which is around the corner. I won't give up hope until the 1st of July. Mine is P. 'Lavendar Lady', that I've had for 11 years. I have the species to plant out yet - P. incarnata - which is a native here in Oklahoma and very hardy. That looks like what you have, but it could be a hybrid of it. Sometimes the hybrids, depending on the cross parent, are not as hardy as the other species it has been crossed with. They are easily found at mail order retailers, but can be somewhat pricey. Sellers also offer seeds, but I don't recommend them, they are very difficult to germinate. Passiflora caerulea is also another hardy species, with white blooms, and one of her hybrids, 'Constance Elliott'. I grow my passion vines for the Gulf Fritillary butterflies. It is their larval host plant. If I don't have them this year because I don't have a passion vine that is large enough to support them, I will be disappointed for sure. I also grow another passion vine, P. lutea, which is also very hardy. It is not as rampant as most passion vines, and not nearly as ornamental. It has small yellow flowers. If you live in the city, you might find them locally at either TLC or Precure. Precure carries P. caerulea, and I believe I saw some of the purples at TLC at one time. If you are growing yours for the butterflies, though, don't buy the red flowering variety as it is toxic to them. Susan