Ivy is also a fantastic plant for honeybees and other pollinators. It is a great source of late nectar and can make a real difference to hives surviving the winter.
Useful article on this below .... so if you can leave an area to climb up and mature and flower the bees will thank you for it.
Planning on keeping the ivy underneath the hedgerows and the trees, just tidying it up so we're not overrun, don't worry. However, I've never seen it flower or grow berries here. We feed the birds constantly in the winter regardless.
The ivy clad trees near my work are always a big attraction for birds and insects. Ivy gets a bad name but if you have an area where you can let it have a bit of room, it's wonderful for all sorts of creatures.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Good posts Nutcutlet and Fairgirl. We used to have a really old brick wall that was covered in flowering and fruiting ivy. The insects and thrushes loved it. I was really upset when the wall fell over taking the ivy with it.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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Hi Mark 56,
Ivy is also a fantastic plant for honeybees and other pollinators. It is a great source of late nectar and can make a real difference to hives surviving the winter.
Useful article on this below .... so if you can leave an area to climb up and mature and flower the bees will thank you for it.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/beekeeping/10018009/Gardeners-urged-to-let-ivy-flourish-to-save-bees.html
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/7723508/Ivy-is-good-for-walls-finds-Oxford-University-study.html
Planning on keeping the ivy underneath the hedgerows and the trees, just tidying it up so we're not overrun, don't worry. However, I've never seen it flower or grow berries here. We feed the birds constantly in the winter regardless.
It has to mature and get to the bushing out stage before it flowers. I don't like the smell of ivy flowers but others do
In the sticks near Peterborough
It should be aym
Insects absolutely love it
so do the fruit eating birds when it ripens
In the sticks near Peterborough
The ivy clad trees near my work are always a big attraction for birds and insects. Ivy gets a bad name but if you have an area where you can let it have a bit of room, it's wonderful for all sorts of creatures.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Good posts Nutcutlet and Fairgirl. We used to have a really old brick wall that was covered in flowering and fruiting ivy. The insects and thrushes loved it. I was really upset when the wall fell over taking the ivy with it.