Friday, July 24, 2015

The ivy league

The first word association you think of with 'cottage' has got to be 'vine covered'. And when I think of vine I think English ivy. There's something very traditional and cozy about it. I like it's heartiness and the fact that it stays pretty green throughout most of the year. I've used it extensively around the yard.
In the front of the house I have it lining the brick driveway.




And in the backyard I have it covering the fence behind a row of Nikko Blue hydrangea.
Here's that wall of ivy a year or so after it was first planted, taking hold but still a little thin.


Here it is today, fully covering the fence behind the bushes.



I wanted to plant it in the bed outside the dining room windows. Here's when it was first planted.


And here it is today.



Now before someone writes me to say how bad it is to have ivy growing on cedar shingles, know this: I am very diligent about watching it's growth and making sure it doesn't get up under any of the shingles and stays on top of them. I do like the way it looks, but haven't decided how far up the wall I'm letting it grow. I keep thinking it would be nice surrounding the windows...

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