Ivy irony

[MKG]

We have been plagued with ivy invading from our neighbour's garden. Every year, I cut it back and every year, it grows some more. However, said neighbour has now had the ivy cleared from her side, so I've taken the opportunity to blitz what was left. After a couple of weeks of that, I now have a very large pile of ivy roots and runners and a large clear space in a very shady area.

So, on to Google to look up the ideal ground cover plant for shady areas. You know what I'm going to say, don't you?

It's bloody ivy.

Mike

[becks77]

Ferns love shady areas too and are very architectural

[Millymollymandy]

If it's damp shade then lamium or ajuga are excellent as ground cover. I planted a couple of little tiny plants last year and ended up weeding out handfuls of ajuga as it went all over the place and started to swamp the other plants in that bed. The lamium (nice white variegated one with non stop dark pink flowers) grew from a teeny plant to about a spread of 2 foot in one season.

Ivy is a pain and I keep going round my woodland ripping it off my trees as it is spreading everywhere.

[JulieSherris]

One of our ash trees up by the hayshed is absolutely massive, but looks much bigger because it's swamped from roots to top branches with ivy.
I keep looking & thinking that I should be trying to thin it out, but then we have a pair of wood pigeons that live there & I still remember watching them with their baby last year as they were teaching it to fly

I'll leave the ivy.... I'm sure there's plenty of other things to keep me occupied

[pelmetman]

At the bottom of our garden we have a small woodland area where we have planted birch and rowan trees. Nearby is a small area that we have never done anything with, it has old tree trunks smothered in ivy. Each year we say we'll clear that area but I'm with you on this one Julie the birds absolutely love eating the berries and makes a good nesting and roosting area.

[oldfella]

I have ivy growing quicker than I can clear it, but this year have a problem with moss in the grass and I am wondering if the heavy snow we had laying around this year has anything to do with it. Any ideas anyone?

[Millymollymandy]

I have it in my grass every winter/spring but it dies off (or disappears) when the weather gets dry. The birds use it to line their nests and also my duck feathers. So unless you want to scarify it I suggest just wait until the warmer weather.

I never get any ivy berries. and there's enough habitat in my wildlife friendly garden they don't need ivy on every tree! A blackbird's just taken over the wood shed again - don't they realise we need to get at wood and kindling!

[JulieSherris]

.... A blackbird's just taken over the wood shed again - don't they realise we need to get at wood and kindling!

That's a bit selfish of you, MMM !

[Millymollymandy]

Actually we don't need the wood from there as we've got it stashed in various places - but OH has been splitting wood that was cut last year and wants to stack it in there but the nest is on top of his most recent stack Also it is Mr Blackbird who is egg sitting at the moment! We'll just go and fill up a few boxes with kindling and then leave him/her be. We are nice really!

[wulf]

I like ivy - you can cut it back hard and harvest plenty of green material to grind up and add to your compost

Wulf

[seasidegirl]

I'm going to rake up my lawn moss and line my baskets with it.

Also I've an idea it might be usable as a peat substitute in compost but am not sure. Will have to check.