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Ivy
When we moved in here the previous elderly owners had not done any gardening or house maintenance for 20 years so it was a full house refurb and garden blitz (never again). There was ivy everywhere and because it had been there so long the stems (?) were the thickness of my forearm. There were no fences anymore just ivy shaped like a fence.
My husband spent several months digging it all up - luckily it wasn't too deep, only about two feet and we've got rid of it all.
I know it can be a pain but I really love an ivy covered shed if it's young and fresh ivy but I'm never planting that stuff again.
Is there anything I can cover a shed with that clings and looks a bit like ivy that is not invasive?
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I shave also been thinking about growing ivy over an arch from a large pot either side so it doesn't spread.
Some ivies are much less vigorous than others - there's a pretty green and white one called I think Glacier that I tried several years ago that grew very slowly. If it is growing over a shed that is detached from other things it should be safe enough as long as you keep it trim and don't allow any ends to touch the ground. I have a beautiful one called Goldheart that covers the front wall of my house,but it has a very small 'footprint'! I have to cut it back every year along the top and to be able to see through the windows, but it looks lovely and birds nest in it every year. Last year it was blackbirds, before that a wren, this year it's pied wagtails!
Yes I suppose it's like anything, keeping it all under control and not letting it get out of hand. I think the previous owners did have a nice garden once because the soil in the beds is lovely and has clearly had tons of compost added over the years.
It was when they became ill and could no longer go outside that the ivy started going wild (according to one of the other neighbours).