It is usually quite slow growing in its first year, but once settled it will race ahead. It may need tying in or staking to encourage it in the direction you wish it to climb. Some of the larger-leaved ivies are too heavy to support themselves, and will need a permanent support system.
This may be a practical disadvantage, but in decorative terms means you can provide colour and cover on the same scale as a big wall surface. Persian ivy (Hedera colchica), with its wide, almost handkerchief-shaped leaves, suits such a large canvas. The variety ‘Dentata’ (elephant’s ears), and its variegated forms ‘Dentata Variegata’ and ‘Sulphur Heart’, need support to low leaves, are less hardy. In severe winters they will be da-maged by wind and frost. Though the plants will survive.
For best colouring, plant variegated ivy such as ‘Glacier’. ‘Anne Marie’ or ‘Chester’ where it gets good dappled sunlight. For green ground cover, choose ‘Dragon Claw’. With its deeply waved leaves, or ‘Brokamp’, which has light green angular foliage.
Useful as a climber or trailing from a container, sweet-heart ivy (H. helix ‘Deltoidea’) is undoubtedly best as a ground cover plant. Its dark green, almost heart-shaped leaves deepen to a purplish hue in winter. Its rather stiff stems make it a popular choice for flower arrangers.
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Cascades of delicate, smaller-leaved green and variegated ivy trailing from hanging bas- start but once growing well will provide a generous splash of colour and shine to lighten a bare wall.
For well-defined, bright pools of sunlight yellow on a north facing wall, use H. helix ‘Goldheart’, whose greenedged leaves have a strong yellow centre. The sunniest of all ivies, the beautiful ‘Butter-cup’, needs full sun to perform at its best, producing marble-textured, entirely yellow leaves, although young plants are likely to be green.
Whether they are used with annual summer plants or with spring bulbs, ivies offer an exuberant show, softening and adding line and texture to container displays.
There are many varieties to choose from, including ‘Kolibri’ with its white speckled leaves. It is equally at home grown in containers in or outside. ‘Adam’ with creamy-white leaf edges that turn pinkish in winter, looks attractive trailing from terracotta urns or window boxes. ‘Midas Touch’ with its golden variegation can make a very rich splash of colour, given a sheltered position. For unusually shaped green leaves, use ‘Fluffy Ruffles’ or ‘Manda’s Crested’.
In winter the leaves of some ivies deepen from green to bronze, while others turn a rich purple. ‘Atropurpurea’ (also known as ‘Purpurea’) and ‘Glymii’, both good climbing plants, turn a deep purple, while ‘Succinata’, which has been grown since the 1800s, has bronzed leaves in winter and amber spring growth.
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Buy small plants rather than large, well-established plants for climbing. Only new growth will cling to supports and wall surfaces and young plants will establish quicker.
To cover a large wall you will need to put your plants about 90cm/3ft apart. For good ground cover you will need one plant for every square metre or square yard.
Ivy also make for tough, hardy, climbing or trailing foliage plants for cool rooms. The varieties of the common ivy, Hedera helix, have plain green or variegated leaves. Then there’s the large-leaved cream and green variegated Canary Island ivy, H. canariensis ‘Variegata’, extremely popular as a houseplant.
Although lower temperatures are acceptable, try to provide 10-16°C (50-60°F). Ivies do not mind draughty places. Moderate humidity is enjoyed including mist-spraying the leaves. Variegated ivies need bright light (but not direct sun) while the plain green kinds will take fairly dark corners. In spring and summer the compost should be kept steadily moist but be very sparing with water in autumn and winter when you should wait until the compost has almost dried out. Feed fortnightly in spring and summer and pot on annually.
