I had some sort of climbing jasmine in a pot in Texas last year. Unfortunately we moved before it could really fill out and we ended up giving the plant to one of our movers, so I can’t say how successful it’d be.

Another option: We planted them in the ground, but I also had a lot of luck with the yellow butterfly plant for a quick growing vine.

Is the clematis going to be in a pot near the red square? Or at the top of the hill? I got confused. I've seen clematis growing well in raised beds next to a garage and I've seen them growing in those wood half-barrels. So if you have something that big, it would probably be okay. Try it. Just try it with a less-expensive one and then you won't be too sad if it doesn't work. Pick one that is known to be very hardy here. Jackmanji is one. The other vines that do well here are honeysuckle and trumpet vine.

Those look awesome! I didn’t trim mine back the first year and it’s super leggy. I cut half of the stems right down this year but nothing new came up. I’m going to trim it back pretty severely this year and if it still doesn’t look great maybe I’ll start anew.

Here is a better labeled picture of my little area where I want to grow green but it’s all concrete. There will also be a deck in the foreground once I’m done with skid steers, dirt, rocks, etc. And now that I see it again I’ll have to figure out how to get water over there. If it’s not on a timer I’m going to kill whatever I plant.

Hang on a minute. This is intended to grow next to and above an outdoor kitchen? I don't think any plant is going to be happy in such a situation. Not to mention the petals and leaves falling onto your counter.

I was thinking the same thing as floral - the heat from the grill will not be plant friendly for any plant. For the two areas by the grill, consider a combination of flat artwork such as painted tiles and using it as hanging storage for grill tools. You could have a pot with herbs or low flowering plants for color, just not plants that will be tall enough to feel heat from the grill. (As an aside, I would be worried about the step at the edge of the outdoor kitchen because sooner or later I know I would be look at the grill and step off accidentally.) On the other side of the gate, you can plant annual vines such as Black-eyed Susan vines or scarlet runner beans, but unless you have a place that stays a bit warmer than zone 5 outdoor winter temperatures to store a large container, clematis will have a tough time surviving in a container over your winters. The combination of solidly frozen soil in the depths of winter and fall and spring freeze-thaw cycles doesn’t make most plants happy, and in my yard I have only found one plant that survives those conditions out of perhaps a dozen plants rated zone 3 and 4 hardiness that I have tried.

Can we see a photo of the top of the hill site you are considering? If you can plant in the ground, that may be a good choice for clematis.

Oooo! I love the artwork idea. Also considering just picking a different detail. I don’t think I’d grow a vine just to the one side and not having pots means I don’t have to get water over there... So I’m a fan. Probably shouldn’t have included it in his options but I was just bouncing around ideas. It’s the cheapest and easiest of all the ones I had so that’s likely why he picked it.

The whole area on this side of the fence/screen/gate will be a deck so the step won’t be there. We just want to hold off on the deck until we are done grading, moving rock etc. There will be a step instead from the deck to the driveway which I don’t love but there has to be a step somewhere.

Im trying to put together a “master plan” and then we will slowly but surely knock things off the list over the next few years. We do all the work ourselves and have a 4 month old so it’s more tortoise than the hare.

Before

So far

Cleared it all out, sheet mulched the flat part, working on finishing up tearing out the gazebo foundation. I have a new problem under the fake grass - crusher fines.

This is all I have for a plan Layout so far. Considering going ahead and drawing it up but we have a drone I can use from work which would make it much more accurate with grades and save me time. That’s why I’m playing with the easy part haha.

Along the fence at the top of the hill, you can use climbers or shrubs or large, tall perennials. I might plan to use some low walls to allow you to have multiple smaller flat areas so water has a chance to soak in rather than just running down the hill. If you use climbers, you will want to fasten something for them to cling to on the fence such as the concrete reinforcing mesh shown in your initial inspiration photo.

Looks like a lot of work to clear out the tangle of plants and rocks that were there.

Rossnagi,

Looks like things are coming along. The only thing I noticed when looking at the drawing was that to me the grill is too close to the house and too much under the roof overhang. Is there an area more out in the open you could put it? You also want to consider air flow so the smoke doesn't accumulate and make everyone miserable who is in the backyard.

It’s such a small yard if you take off the hill that I can’t get it 10’ away from the garage or house without it being literally in the middle of the yard. So I’m putting it midway between house and garage (house is brick but garage has no one living in it) and then my detail for the base of the outdoor kitchen has fire rated details such as the concrete underneath, fire rated dense glass, brick and a concrete countertop. And around it we will go with a trex deck instead of wood. Also why I chose expensive metal trellis/fence/screen instead of wood lattice. Oh and it’ll have a cabinet for a gas/kitchen fire extinguisher.

Think that will work? I don’t have any other ideas but I can play with the layout some more. The only other spot I considered was along the garage on the way to the veggie garden. But the garage is wood. It would be under the eave. Farther from the kitchen. Less airflow to cool it off and ventilate.

Hmmm... Help! So many things in such a small space. Where’s my 160 acres when I need it.

Sounds like you have the bases covered. I was just concerned with it being right next to the house with flare ups. We had one once and it took off my husbands eye brows. If it is midway between the house and the garage then there is probably enough room.