Join the ivy league
Ivy is a versatile seasonal star – ideal for wreaths and decorating the table or making a feature outdoors
THE holly and the ivy – so good they wrote a Christmas carol about the pair. And yet the lyrics say little about the ivy, instead praising the holly: “of all the trees in the wood, the holly bears the crown”.
Nonetheless, ivy is firmly linked with Christmas whether it is decorating the wreath on the door, forming table centrepieces studded with gold candles, or draping elegantly from the mantelpiece.
The tradition of adorning the house with evergreen material harks back to pagan times when there was little else available in midwinter. It also symbolises the continuity of life.
Being evergreen makes it one of the most useful garden plants we have. Where nothing else will grow in the darkest, driest shades, bare walls or barren slopes, ivy will cling and climb. Its ability to scale walls without any supports such as wires or trellis is unparalleled, and the way it does this is fascinating.
The climbing stems produce hairy roots which change shape to fit the surface of the structure they are climbing. Root hairs then excrete nanoparticles which act like glue. The hairs burrow into any cavities, drying out in corkscrew spirals which further locks in the plant to the wall.
All this can make homeowners nervous that the ivy is somehow sucking the life out of the wall and weakening it. In fact, it can be quite useful in insulating buildings from extreme weather and can be kept in check with severe pruning.
The problem is when you try to remove ivy from a wall and all those hairy roots refuse to budge and bits of mortar start coming away.
Is it damaging to trees? Not really as it isn’t parasitic, it is just using the tree as a climbing frame. However, if you are planting young trees it is best to keep clear of ivy as its ground roots will compete for water and nutrients.
While it’s a brilliant ground cover, it can be invasive, so plant judiciously.
Ivy is extremely valuable for wildlife, producing flowers that are rich in nectar and berries when there is little else for birds to forage. The flowers appear in small dome- shaped clusters – like a mini version of Fatsia flowers, also belonging to the same family of plants.
The high fat content of the berries make them very nutritious and loved by thrushes, wood pigeons and blackbirds, while the flowers provide pollen for many insects including bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
There are many different cultivars available with varying leaf shapes and sizes, plus variegations in white or gold or cream. I particularly love Hedera ‘Buttercup’ for its buttery golden leaves when it is planted in the sun. ‘Goldchild’ has attractive yellow and light green variegation. ‘Green Ripple’ has elegant finely cut deep green leaves or, for something more ornamental, ‘Ivalace’ has crinkly glossy green leaves.
The small-leaved trailing varieties are a perfect foil for pots of brightly coloured cyclamens and are ideal for hanging baskets, containers and window boxes.
Variegated trailers are also a good foil for evergreens in pots such as bay, box or holly, just giving a little lift to the colour scheme.
Add a red ribbon and you’re all set for the festive season!