Kudzu!

Not really. Seriously, not really!

Trumpet vine is a nice vigorous grower with season long blooms. Hardy too. But not evergreen.

Wisteria is also a nice looking vine when it's in bloom, but has a short blooming season and can be a devil if you get the Chinese variety. It'll eat your arbor.

There are several jasmine's that would be nice. It'll be interesting to see what others suggest.

I am growing Thunbergia this year on an oblisk and it has swallowed it whole! Nice dark green, glossy leaves and 2 inch blue flowers. I don't think it is hardy here, but that has never stopped me from trying it!

Rebecca

I'd put in some Clematis. Try several different kinds to spread out the blooming season. Finish up with Sweet Autumn Clematis (I love that. Smells wonderful).
Moonflower vine is another vigorous sun lover but I think it's an annual.
I lived in a house in Washington, D.C. that had an amazing Wisteria vine growing up the front. It was wonderful when it bloomed, except that it attracted an amazing number of bees.
The rest of the year it was a pain. That stuff grows faster than Kudzu and is just as invasive. It doesn't get the bad press because it's prettier.:)

A nice old tough climbing rose, plus one or two clematis. :-)

i have a five leaf akebia that is wonderful. evergreen palmate leaves that i planted on a trellis because it grows in shade-then we cut down that big shade tree and it's doing just great in hot afternoon sun and i have a feeling it would do fine in full sun as well. it's quite vigorous and has cute little white (or sometimes reddish brown) interesting flowers VERY early in spring. very nice plant tho it's hard to find. i snatched it up when i saw it after searching for years to find it locally.

For something a little bit different, I suggest Actinidia pilosula, a rare type of kiwi vine. White tipped leaves and pink/red flowers in spring. Once established, would require very little maintenance, and would bring on lots of, "wow, what is that?".

~kiwinut

Here is a link that might be useful: A. pilosula at Brushwood Nursery

I googled the Thunbergia alata, Actinidia pilosula and the Akebia quinata. They look awesome! Now I want to build a bunch of arbors just so I can grow them.

Bec is yours getting out of hand? I read where the self-seeding can take over a flower bed worse than morning glory.

Looks like Jeff and I have both been busy. There have been so many great suggestions, I was just thinking I'd have to ask my husband for another arbor!!

Thanks to everyone,
Frances

Carolina Jasmine is very fast growing, evergreen leaves,
and will fill your garden with fragrance when it blooms in the Spring. It will need to be trimmed several times during the year to keep it looking neat, but it is not difficult.
Trimming will promote new growth, which will in turn bloom again. This should be done just before it gets cool, because Jasmine blooms in the Spring and again in Fall if trimmed just before it gets cool.
I started mine on an arbor two years ago and it now covered, and needs trimming again.

BOV, that Thunbergia got so big that the whole copper oblisk fell over with it. Pulled the vine right out of the ground. Just a week or so ago, it sprouted back up and heading it's way to the sky for a repeat performance! I don't know about reseeding or anything. I haven't seen a seed pod.

Rebecca, your thunbergia will self seed and will probably come back. In fact, I am stil pulling out seedlings that keep showing up close to where I had one last year.

I love Wisteria and Clematis and have both growing on a pergola. The Autumn Clematis has a wonderful scent!! Carolina Jasmine is growing on the front porch and is super with the fragrance it provides.

Have you ever seen the Silver Lace Vine? It is wonderful and fast growing. Beautiful vine to have when little else is blooming. Check out the link.

http://home.hiwaay.net/~oliver/silverlace.htm