a special kind of climbing vine . . .

I'm doing some planning (as we all do in Northern climes at this time of year!) and I'm stumped on one choice:
We have a beautiful semi-circle of bamboo that's about nine feet tall and creates a patch of shade in which I think I would eventually like to grow some trilliums, as well as other shade-loving plants.
I look at this bamboo and I think: there must be some kind of very delicate climbing, flowering vine that tolerates shade, which I could grow up through the bamboo (which isn't all that thick). I think a tiny, intensely colored flower would look lovely, but what kind of vine could this be???

You could try Clematis as they are best grown with their roots in shade, but the tops/flowering stems in the sun, there are hundreds of them to choose from and feel sure you would find one to suit either in colour, flower size and shape or just for winter flowers as there are some that flower winter/spring, these ones have much smaller flowers sometimes called Alpine Clematis. the only draw back for this type of planting you have in mind is, the Bamboo is a very greedy plant as far as moisture goes, and depending on the type you have, they are very invasive once they get going, not all, but most are. You need to add a whole heap of manure to the planting holes for anything to grow well in among Bamboos, but your idea sounds great if it can be done, Good Luck. WeeNel.

I'm not so sure about clematis. We have a sweet autumn clematis, among other kinds, and this is the smallest flowering clematis that I know of and it would be way too heavy for this bamboo. I need a climbing plant that is delicate, brightly colored but small flowers, and with tendrils that grab on, maybe even an annual that I sow every year . . . any other thoughts?

Sorry, cant help you with Annual climbers as I live in a much colder climate therefore my season is way too short for those type of plants, but you could go along to your local library or book store and look through some gardening books for this, they will also have pictures of these plants so you can get a better idea of colours, growing habits and how tender they are. good luck with your search. maybe someone else will come to the thread to help you out, Ecrane is normally around with lots of helpful info and she knows most of the zone info too. best wishes. WeeNel.

I don't have much shade so I'm no good with recommendations of plants that will do well in shady situations. The only shady flowering vines I can think of are the climbing hydrangeas which have white flowers and aren't very delicate vines and Aristolochia which also doesn't have small brightly colored flowers.

I can't help but think of 'Maid of Orleans' jasmine. We used to grow it in a greenhouse where I worked and it wasn't really a vine but it did climb after a couple of years. (I bought one and took it home for my patio of a townhouse) I think it is hardy in zone 8 and is so fragrant . It grows at least to 5 ft and is the finest fragrance in the world with its' white blooms.

Gail, is this the one you were talking about? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55234/ Plant Files says zone 11 and I think it may be a bit hardier than that but I don't know if it would survive zone 8 or not. I had a different cultivar of J. sambac in a pretty sheltered location last year and it died back to the ground over the winter but then came back from the roots in the spring. Of course then my dog decided to start using that spot as his peeing area, so I think it's dead for good now!

But even if J. sambac wouldn't make it, there are other jasmines that would be hardy in zone 8, some prefer to be in sun but some can get by in partial shade...here are the ones in Plant Files, you can browse through and look at the hardiness and sun requirements. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=jasminum&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

Maid of Orleans is the sambac to my understanding. I did take a look but not on Dave's to see the hardiness. Let me check again . Main of Orleans was not in the plant files with information or I couldn't find it. I will go to the site you have and thanks.

You are right although the site I found says it is hardy down to zone 9a which is what Houston was and I never lost mine. Zone 8b would have to have some protection. Thanks for telling me. Here is another bit of information. The other site I found said hardy to zone 8 but I can't find that one.

http://www.mgonlinestore.com/TJasmine/

Hi folks,
I LOVE jasmine but, alas, have had a difficult time even with the hardy varieties here in zone 8. Maybe I could keep it potted and just set it out for the season?

In my wanderings I found this other flower, but I don't think it would 'cling' to the bamboo with tendrils; still it's a plant with many possibilities, but apparently not available in the US. (I'd love to train it over a Mugo Pine)
see:
Post #4307890

for my original question, I think I might try sweet peas even though they want sun . . . what do you think? (this is really dappled shade with a good amount of reflected light off of our house)

Yikes, I am in over my head. I love sweet peas but i don't know how much sun they need as I have always grown them in full sun (it is an early early spring flower for us.....as in March and April)

You will never be sorry you have pots of Maid of Orleans jasmine.