Growing ivy up the house?

Hi, I do like the look of a house with a little bit of ivy growing up it. There is ivy starting to grown on our house, I would like to leave it but worry that it could cause problems.

Any advice welcome please?

 

Thank you for your reply. Does it grow in winter? Might be a silly question, I'm just a beginner I'm thinking I won't want to be out much then

 

Mmmm might give it a go and see

 

Agree with Armandii. Ivy imo is wrongly maligned for doing damage to buildings. Yes if the pointing on a wall is in poor condition then Ivy will make the condition worse and if left to it's own devices it will get into gutters, roves etc.
However, if grown up a wall which has tight pointing Ivy will actually protect the walls. I had to take down some very old Ivy on a Sandstone Georgian house. The Sandstone under the Ivy was in pristine condition and far less weathered than that not covered...even the builder had to admit the Ivy had been beneficial which went against the grain!. Variegated Ivy is slower growing than plain green. I have various Ivies. One variegated specimen with small leaves is really slow growing here and has only reached about 5 ft in 12 years, others are a lot more rampant than that.

 

Ivy has great thermal properties too, keeps the heat in and cold winds out. Good for small nesting birds too spotted fly catchers and wrens especially.

 

Having planted ivy some years ago, not to climb up the house I might add, but just in general around the garden, I've got to say its a pest.
Would never have grown it if had known the problems.

Its one of those plants you spend years nurturing then it suddenly takes off, and runs riot,
Would never let it near the house, not for the damage it might cause to the walls, more because its a thug once it gets going, and its a nightmare should it reach the eves.

 

I'm just saying that after years of trying to get it to grow, it suddenly takes off.
At which point its not easy to control.
If you can keep it at 6ft you are doing well

It also has a habit of spreading into surrounding soil.

I made a point of saying it doesn't damage brickwork.

 

Now my friend had ivy growing up his house at the back . To remove it was a nightmare and it left unsightly trails over the brickwork. I would call it damage.
I have , not a true ivy , a lovely Virginia Creeper growing up the wall on chez Harrys . Photo was taken mid September - it will lose all its leaves by early October.
I cut it back last December , cutting all the stems above the bird box . Two quick tugs and all the high growth came down , its only attached by little suckers , clean as a whistle . This "pruning" has really improved it . The growth is very vigorous this year. We bought it in 2007 for £3.99 and absolutely adore it

 

Ivy is a really good food source for birds in winter. It is late when the berries ripen and provides food for the thrushes in January and February when there isn't much for them to eat; also good for the pollinating insects in autumn as that's when it flowers.

Re the damage or not that it does to brickwork: I think if the brickwork is in good condition it is not damaging. If you like wildlife in your garden, go for it. It's one of the best plants.