The message
from Alan Gould contains these words:

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
We have lots of ivy growing as ground cover, mostly in shaded areas.
It flowers and seeds there in the same way as when it is climbing.

Very surprising; I have never seen that either. Ivy is dimorphic.It's
usually only the juvenile stage (3 or 5 lobed leaves, adventitious
roots)which grows as ground cover in shaded areas. The adult
stage,(distinguishable by the leaf shape changing from lobed to ovate,
and shrubbier, non-climbing branches) that produces flowers and fruit,
requires much more light, which is why it usually occurs at the tops of
walls, upper branches of trees etc.

These are in semi-light amongst a group of well developed and very tall
blackthorns. When I cleared away some of the blackthorns, the ivy
receded and gave way to a variety of other self-set plants, but it
remains as vigorous as ever under the blackthorns.

The surprising thing was that your ivy is producing flowers and seeds
at ground-cover level and in shade.

Janet.