You can learn more by messing up than by doing it right :-) At least in theory - if that were completely true, I should be a super genius by now... :-) Yours is probably not the edible sort that you see in the grocery stores (A.deliciosa), since they're not hardy here unless you are lucky like MG is and live in the "canadian Tropics". There are a couple of hardy ones that do produce edible fruit though and it might be one of those ones - you'd also need both male and female plants. Even if it doesn't give you anything you can eat, it's still cool looking! MG - that's stunning! I've never seen one of those before either! I just did some reading on it and it should be hardy to my area - I'm going to have to hunt one down (looks like only the male has that variegation). Having a small back yard with tall fences means vines are always welcome :-) BP

Would I want something from Group 1 - no pruning? It appears that the montana group would meet my needs, except the height looks like it might fall a little short. Any Ideas as to which one? Any color would work except blues (need to keep that hot color scheme). Any comments on Mrs. N. Thompson?

Grapes in vineyards don't look very decorative and certainly don't each cover a 15 x 15 area. You don't need to prune this vine to the ground. That defeats the object of covering the trellis. They leaf out relatively late and it will not look 'nice and dense' until well into the growing season. You'd need to maintain a permanent area and then train and prune new growth regularly to keep it to its space. Since you are so determined and don't seem convinced by the answers you're getting why don't you just get one and try it? They're not expensive. Btw referring to it as a 'grape vine' is a bit misleading. Don't expect a usable harvest off it.

There are clematis, climbing roses and grapes. I found a 5 year old Denver Post article on other vines for Colorado. The site will block you without a subscription, so I've copied the body of the article: If you’re looking to find privacy in the yard, but can’t wait until those trees grow taller, add vines to bring your garden to new heights. These weaving wonders make themselves at home scrambling over hillsides, trellises, and stone walls, covering bare ground or screening out unwanted scenes of the neighbor’s Winnebago. Sprucing up your landscape’s look is easy with vines. Just ask John Murgel, horticulture coordinator for the Denver Zoo. Transforming enclosures to evoke the atmosphere of exotic locales is a strategy the zoo uses to enhance the comfort of the animals and enthrall visitors. “We use temperate climate vines to evoke a tropical feeling, those that are hardy,” he said. “Some go up trees into the canopy, others over walls.” But there are a few guidelines for home gardeners. “Use them carefully so they don’t get out of control,” Murgel said. “You must consider if the vine suckers or how large it grows,” or it could become a handful. “You’d be hoping for an elegant little vine but end up not being able to find your shed anymore.” Know what the vine climbs on and how the plant grows so that you can choose the correct support for it. You need to know that vining plants have several ways of gripping trellises. Those that twine around their frameworks need a little help getting the idea. While they’re young, gently loop the leaders around cables or latticework to train them. Vines that use tendrils to clasp their supports — you’ve likely seen this happen with edible plants such as cucumbers — don’t need help finding a structure to grip. The trick is to keep them from throttling everything within their grasp. Encourage them to find the trellis by twirling tendrils and shoots about the frame. Plants that grow their own suction cups and those with adventitious roots — a word for roots that grow along stems — need walls or fences with texture to climb. But be careful: Though such vines look good on houses, they can be damaging. Here are five great vines to grow in Colorado beyond the usual clematis, climbing roses and grapevines. 1. Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata). Showy, purple flowers get hummingbirds to hang around your garden, happily visiting the blooms covering the vine. The lobed, deep green leaves provide a backdrop that makes the flowers pop. Size: To 25 feet long Zone: 5a How: Plant in a protected site, mulching thickly to protect the roots while the top dies down to the ground during the winter. Passion flower spreads via roots, so if you’d like to contain it, plant in a large container and move it into the garage for the winter. 2. Five-leafed Akebia (Akebia quinata). Delicate leaves made up of five-leaflets make this an unusual vine for jazzing up your landscape. The lightly scented flowers hang in pendulous clumps. Size: 20 feet long or more Zone: 5a How: Pop this climber in full sun to light shade; it won’t fruit here, says Murgel. But it will ramble up a tree, so periodically loosen it to ensure that it doesn’t girdle branches. 3. Honeysuckle (Lonicera species) is a favorite of Murgels’, since they’re showy all summer and attract hummingbirds. Look for the Blanche Sandman variety, a showstopper wreathed in pink-orange blossoms with golden throats. Size: 20 feet Zone: 5a How: Full sun, even moisture and something to climb are all that it takes to grow Blanche Sandman. Once established, keep it tidy by an occasional light pruning after the danger of hard frost has passed. 4. Wisteria (Wisteria). Classic, elegant wisteria (Wisteria species) drapes deep purple flowers on a woody, long-lived vine. Perfumed and showy, wisteria needs permanent support, such as a dramatic arbor or doorway arch. Size: 30 feet Zone: 5 How to grow: Because the flower buds swell early, put wisteria in a protected location to keep late frosts from nipping blossoms. Once established, prune them twice per year: a light pruning in midsummer to remove wispy growth and a hard pruning back to two buds per branch in winter. Don’t let them dry out. 5. Silver Lace Vine (Polygonum aubertii). If you have a large area that needs screening quickly, try this rampant, sweet- smelling vine. The sprays of white blossoms that coat the plant from summer to fall reach to 6 inches long. Size: 20 to 30 feet Zone: 5 How: Give this plant a sturdy support in a carefully chosen area, as it can easily swallow small arbors or trellises.