Exactly! Thanks, jekeesl! It's attractive, but fear it may be about as "easy" to contain as the native trumpet vines that took hold on the other side of our lot.

I am planting yellow nasturtium vine this year. While not a perennial they can be started early because they don't freeze easily and you can collect the seed and plant it in the fall or early spring

A friend of mine has virgina creeper growing up over and around her garage doors (in half-day sun), and it is gorgeous! She planted it in a small contained bed by the front door, which has the house on one side, the cement porch on another, and a brick wall and brick sidewalk on the third and fourth sides. She ran the VC along the back of one of the two front steps, and then trained it up around the garage. It really isn't all that much work to keep it in check *in this situation* and truly looks lovely. I'm thinking of doing the same to my garage. That being said, while the VC would most likely do well in the shady area, my fear is that it would do TOO well! I have VC all over my woods, and I often have to hack it back from spreading out into the lawn. It doesn't bother me that much, but I don't know that I would voluntarily plant it in an area that I might not attend to that often, i.e. a naturalized area. As sugarhill says, you may never see your trellis again - at least not without regular and consistent attention. Sure is pretty in the fall though - mine gets pretty good color even in the woods. Sorry, can't help with the crossvine. Good luck. Dee

Winter Jasmine (J. nudiflorum)?