In case you aren't aware, as I wasn't when I planted pipevine, it suckers like crazy. It took 3 or 4 years to really get going, but then I had to pull it out, when it took over the bed it was in and headed for my neighbor's yard.. Some of the suckers were 6 feet or more from the parent plant. Something I noticed in those 3 or 4 years, too, is that pipevine only likes to grow up; if you want it to fill in laterally as well, you will have to train the vine along the fence.

My main thought on seeing the picture is that the neighbour's driveway and vehicle are right against the fence and anything you grow on it will poke through onto the other side. You'd need to be round there constantly with the shears to keep it flat on their side.

Anyone recommend a good vine to plant?

Any vine I know will have growth coming through on the other side as well; not as much, perhaps, but it will be there. From the picture, it looks like their driveway is inches from the fence; is that the case, or does it just look like that? How much room is really there on the other side?

Also, can you give us the orientation of the fence - which way is north, south, etc.?

The fence is located on the North Side of the property but gets pretty much full sun in the summer. There driveway is pretty much open so I'm not too worried about it protruding a few inches in. I think they will appreciate the privacy.

As I see it, you have a couple of decisions to make:

Do you want the same vine all along the fence? It will be a LOT of the same thing, which could be pleasing, but may be just too much. And if some new weird disease or insect comes along that attacks that particular vine, then what?

Do you want a flowering vine? That is, a vine with more visible flowers than the pipevine you were considering?

How much upkeep do you want to do after the vines are established? A little, just pushing them one way or the other? A lot, trimming, shaping, keeping under control?

Do you want something with fruit (berries, usually)? You'll get birds, and maybe some mess along with it.

Do you want a native plant, if possible? Perhaps not as showy as some non-native plants, but usually better-behaved, and more likely to flourish in your climate/soil.

Do you want the fence totally covered, or are you going to leave some less-filled in spaces along the fence (like by the end of the driveway)?

If you want all the same vine, I think that you are going to need between 8 and 15 plants, depending on what plant you choose and how fast you want the fence covered; that is going to be a good-sized investment in both money and time, so my questions are meant to help you consider several of the variables involved, before you lay out $$$$ and start digging.

Thank you so much. I do know that I would prefer something native and something whose leaves would hold up thru fall. I would like something as full as possible but don't mind some upkeep but would prefer not to spend more than an hour or so a week pruning. Preferably nothing with fruit but flowers are fine. I was leaning towards one plant but am open to a few different types. I basically want something full and green as long as possible in the warmer months.

OK then, one last question - what state (or area - New England, midwest, plains) are you in? 5b can be dry and windy, wet and snowy, etc. etc. Just to fine tune the suggestions.

Illinois.

Here's one suggestion - Lonicera sempervirens, one of the native honeysuckles, hardy to zone 4, loves sun; there are several cultivars with differing bloom colors - red, yellow, orange. I have this one, and it blooms from late April to October. And hummingbirds like it!

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d990

Another possibility is American Bittersweet: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a151

I have never grown it, and some sites say it can be aggressive, so that's something to consider. You also need both male and female plants to get the berries, which are on the vine in the winter (until the birds eat them!), but they are apparently hard berries, like pyracantha or holly, and so not messy.

Passiflora is not reliably hardy in your zone, and it also can sucker like crazy.

There are some clematis native to your area; there's a Clematis forum here you could check out.

There are always the various ivy-ish plants - Virginia Creeper, Boston Ivy, but they need someone with a whip and a chair to keep them in bounds.

There appear to be several native plant nurseries in IL, some of which may be worth a trip if they're not too far - you could see what they've got that would fill your needs.

I guess if it were me, I'd get about 10 - 15 of the Lonicera sempervirens in all different colors and let them grow into each other. But I'm kind of lazy that way.

I hope that others will post to give you recommendations, or their thoughts on the various native vines. If any others come to my mind, I'll post them.

Have fun!

Thank you so much Lisa!

I love the idea of getting a bunch of colors. I was starting to think of Boston ivy for the fall colors it brings. I might end up doing a mixture since I have a lot of fence to cover. I'm also thinking of what to do on the front snd may ask for permission to do something on the other side.

I like the Lonicera sempervirens suggestion. It has selections in various shades of red and orange, and the hummingbirds like them.

You might also want to consider some of the clematis hybrids that are type 3 for pruning. They bloom in summer and come in a range of white, pink to almost red, and various shades of blue, lavender and purples. In my garden the bees really like the smaller bell-shaped ones.