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beccabunga · 10-03-2010, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlie Pridham[_2_]

In article lid,
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In message , Ben Short
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I saw an old country house on TV called Eggleston Hall that had ivy
growing up it and I would like it on my house.

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata is much the better bet on walls,
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). tends to get too heavy
and fall off.
Both attach by adesive suckers rather than roots so are unlikely to cause
damage to walls, but as someone else has pointed out once they get to
your roof problems can start so you need to give them an annual trim 3 or
4 feet below the gutter height each winter.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Boston Ivy is a thug that is capable of covering a house in a couple of years and needs as much cutting back as English ivy. Virginia Creeper is far more genteel but not good a giving solid cover.