Growing ivy up the house?

I am new to gardening, but a hard worker, I don't expect any of the garden to look good without working on it all views and advice are good,

 

All I can say is, if anyone wants some ivy cuttings come and get them.
Glyphosate doesn't seem to work.

 

This looks lovely! And sounds easy to cut back

 

I'm now thinking of a pretty crawler to grow round the front door, may be ivy or something else, I need to have a Google

 

I have Ivy growing on the front of my house. They say it saves on the heating bills as it gives a bit of extra insulation.

I like its appearance, but the key point is controlling it. I have to use a ladder now. It will cover windows and get into the loft space if you don't control it. Limiting it to 6 feet sounds a good idea, but is not as attractive.

 

I do agree with that. I had all the barge boards and soffits replaced on my house, so that I wouldn't have to climb a ladder to paint them. I have since realised that I still have to go up a ladder to cut the ivy back.

 

Its heavier too.

 

Ivy is evil and should be made illegal prior to all out extinction
As Pete says once it gets a good root system it takes off. It will find its way past the silicon that often gets used in cheap double glazing installations. It will not damage good bricks and mortar but it will destroy weak bricks and mortar in time. It will destroy dry stone walls and cost me thousands. Great for encouraging rodents too.

Just a personal point of view

 

Personally I would say go with the virginia creeper, lovely plant. I placed a small pot of variegated ivy against our pebble dashed outside wall many years ago, the ivy took off, and I was absolutely amazed at the root system which it developed!! So I decided to take it off the wall.............easier said than done, it had gone right into the pebbledash so I cut it off and kept on cutting at it, eventually I actually managed to kill it, but never again would I use ivy!!

 

Eeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!

 

So after reading all your posts I decided to go for a pretty flower. I was in the garden centre today and came across a Passion flower. I love these, had one at my old house.
After digging up a couple of laurel I planted to at the side of the front door.

I've not given up on the ivy, I will use it to cover the oil tank and garden shed