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Dug up a load of ivy - what now?

M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
in Problem solving
Hi, we've dug up some big ivy roots at the side of our house and are left with the sold soil and some big stones. It's an East facing wall in an alley. Can I do anything with the space? 

Photos attached! It's the soily area on the right. 
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Does it get any sun at all?
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
    I'm not sure! I'll check later this afternoon. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    To be honest, the obvious choice for that kind of space, if you want something that will climb up the wall, is ivy :|
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Try a more exciting bought ivy variety.  The green leafed grow faster than variegated.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I would sow shade tolerant wildflowers; you could try a hedgerow mix like this one.

    You could pop a few 9cm wildlfower plants in too, e.g. red campion and ox eye daisy, to get going.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Do you own the ground? If not, it may be risky planting anything, and a waste of money.
    Plenty of things will be fine, but more info is needed. It also depends on whether you have time to spare maintaining it, or you want something that will largely look after itself. Things like some Euonymous fortunei varieties for example - which will also climb a bit when against a wall.  :)
    If you want something on the wall itself, there are plenty of clematis that will be ok, but they'd need a sturdy support on the wall to climb up, and you'd need to be sure they weren't going to be trampled by other people using the lane. If that's a possibility, it's worth having some edging of some kind.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    JennyJ said:
    To be honest, the obvious choice for that kind of space, if you want something that will climb up the wall, is ivy :|
    I was going to say Ivy too!!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • M0rganaM0rgana Posts: 47
    I think we do own the land but only part way into the road. It could well be trampled or driven on so not worth investing a lot of money. Probably also best being low-maintenance. I was wondering if I could do something to avoid it just filling up with weeds. Maybe a nicer type of ivy is a good call! 

    I tried a shady wildflower mix on another area similar but so far, nothing has grown! 
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    What about the chocolate vine?

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited May 2023
    @MOrgana Amazingly you don't seem to have marks on the wall where the Ivy had fixed. Good News. I love your wall but then I do have a small collection of bricks.

    One plant that might work in a dark place but won't climb is Geranium macrorrhizum White Ness. White flowers always work in a dark spot. It won't climb but you could plant it all the way down. If the wall is pre 1900 and lime mortar that would also be a bonus.
    Just start with a couple of plants.

    They are in flower now when they have flowered lift and split each stem will root. Gradually you will be able to go all the way down the border. When established and after flowering cut back to the ground[even more cuttings] water well if dry and in a few weeks they will regrow and create a neat plant that is semi evergreen.  Stays tidy all winter can cope with some running over along the edges
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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