English Ivy

English Ivy (Hedera helix 'Green') is the evergreen answer to the corner where nothing else will grow. It climbs to around 4m on a wall or fence and spreads about 3m as a groundcover, gripping brick, timber and render with its own aerial roots, so no trellis is needed. Dry shade, thin soil, wind and frost barely slow it down.

Why you'll love it

• It grows where other plants sulk. Dry shade under established trees, thin soil against a shaded wall, exposed windy corners.
• Self clinging. Aerial rootlets attach straight to masonry and timber, the cheapest way to green a blank surface.
• Evergreen every month. The cover does not thin out in the cold months, so a bank still reads green in July.
• Frost hardy and drought tolerant. Once the roots are down it asks for very little, including through a cold southern winter.

Where it works best

Groundcover in dry shade. Plant 1m apart for dense cover. This is its best use: under mature trees, along shaded fence lines, and where lawn gives up beside a house.

Retaining walls and slopes. Fibrous roots bind loose soil while trailing stems spill over block work, holding a bank together through heavy rain.

Screening a wall or fence. Given something to climb it reaches about 4m and reads as a green wall, using almost no bed width. One caveat: the leaves and berries are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.

Growing English Ivy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to full shade, though shade gives the better leaf in a hot summer. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and is frost hardy once established, so cold southern gardens are fine. Not one for the wet tropics or the arid interior.

Soil. Almost anything, including poor and rocky ground, as long as water drains away. Work compost through the top of a bank before planting and mulch 75mm deep.

Water and feed. Weekly through the first summer, then only in a long dry spell. A handful of slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty; overfeeding just means more clipping.

Pruning. Clip the edges twice a year, in early spring and late summer, and keep it off roofs and gutters. It shoots from old wood, so a neglected patch can be cut right back. In cool temperate districts ivy escapes gardens easily, so remove berrying growth and never dump clippings over a back fence.

What to expect when it arrives

Ivy is grown here in two sizes: 140mm pots in packs of ten, the value choice for covering ground, and 200mm pots in packs of six for a quicker result. Both arrive as young plants with several trailing stems, not a finished curtain of foliage.

It travels well, because the leathery leaves hold their own moisture. Expect a quiet three to four weeks while roots go down, then obvious runners by the end of the first warm season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best groundcovers for shaded areas
• Browse the climbers and groundcover range
• Compare plants for retaining walls and slopes
• How to soften a fence or block wall

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart for groundcover. Tighter spacing costs more without closing gaps much sooner, since each plant throws long runners that root as they travel.

Is English Ivy safe around pets?

No. The leaves and berries are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and chewing usually brings on drooling, vomiting and mouth irritation. If your dog chews foliage, choose a different groundcover.

Will it damage brickwork or render?

Sound brick and mortar are generally fine, but the aerial roots work into cracked mortar, flaking paint and timber weatherboards. Grow it on a fence or a wire frame rather than a painted house wall.

Will it take over the garden?

It will if you let it. Two clips a year hold it exactly where you want it.