PLANT of the week

Ivy

Common or garden ivy really comes into its own around Christmas, both indoors and outside. Outdoors, mature wild ivy bears black berries that last well, despite difficult conditions, and provide valuable winter food for birds.

Variegated cultivated kinds provide cheery evergreen backgrounds for pansies, heathers or dwarf berrying shrubs in seasonal tubs.

Given a mild, sheltered spot, ivy makes a superb solo plant for hanging baskets, and it’s among the easiest plants to grow. Indoors, use pots filled with any good potting compost.

Outdoors, grow trailing varieties as ground cover in light shade under trees and shrubs, or allow climbing kinds to wander up walls or fences or the bare trunks of shrubs. If you have plenty of ivy and don’t mind cutting some, long trails of leaves make wonderful indoor Christmas decorations, garlands and wreaths.