Turn over a new leaf

It seems that people and plants go together; we love to name our homes and streets (sometimes, even our children) after plants. Trees and flowers have become not only part of our daily existence, but also our families.

In rural and rugged Yorkshire, you don't find all that many Rose or Honeysuckle Cottages; northerners tend to be a bit more down to earth – a smattering of Willows, Poplars and, of course, Ivies, the latter an obvious choice given all the ivy plastered over buildings and trees.

Ivies have staying power. They are always there; spring, summer, autumn and even now, in the depths of winter. They don't pack their bags and lose their leaves when the cold bites; in fact, some grow so well that it becomes a battle to stop them from covering everything. The great-leaved Hedera colchica 'Dentata veriegata' is a prime example with huge, variegated leaves. With such a monster, it's necessary to prune regularly to keep it within bounds.

Other ivies, however, are more restrained. Take the fine-cut foliaged H helix 'Bill Archer; it doesn't have to shout because it has a stately presence.

Grow several varieties close together so they become living communities of different colours and leaf shapes. Grow them up walls, along the ground, in pots, through hedges and even use several together to create a living pyramid in a container.

Ivies can be recommended to everyone. If your garden is just a window-box and a few pots, there are ivies which will be quite happy to find a home there. And if you want an ivy which will cover the ground so completely that all weeds will be strangled out of existence, then there's the splendid H helix 'Green Ripple', which will do the job admirably.

There is an ivy for every situation, every soil, every aspect. Ask a friend or neighbour for a few cuttings and discover what you've been missing.

YP MAG 8/1/11