The Eastcheam

Picture from the CD-ROM version of Encyclopaedia Botanica (Random House, Australia), that has a commendable section on Ivies.

The frost has claimed its first victims, but the Ivy just goes on...

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Although always a secret Ivy fan it wasn't until planning my first garden that my interest took off. My copy of Peter Q. Rose's "IVIES" was never far from my birdcage. Without the inaccurately named Peter Rose, this site would not exist. If you share my love of Ivies buy the latest incarnation of his book if you do nothing else!

This is available from amazon.com and probably from other web based book suppliers. You might be able to get the older version, but the latest edition is better illustrated and comes as a hardback.

I bought the following book the day after visiting the excellent FIBREX near Stratford on Avon. The Author, Hazel Kay, is the woman behind Fibrex! The book doesn't claim to be comprehensive, but has great photos, some useful tips, and can't be bad for less than six pounds!

The book is The New Plant Library IVIES and is published by Lorenz Books.

Can you tell me what this ivy is below? It is available from Fibrex, and I've never seen it in the out-of-town Sheds

Each month I'll be choosing an Ivy to hopefully inspire you. Over the period since I started, I've covered quite a lot of ground. Only another 600+ clones to go!

Last month's ivy is bigger leafed and was splashed with bright yellow. This month's is quite a different kettle!

Not very Christmassy (perhaps more of an Easter ivy), but rather engaging. It does indeed look like the foot of a duck!

The clone was first isolated in 1976/7 in New Jersey (America!), and came to the UK in 1980. Often sold under different (and incorrect names). This is probably better grown indoors -it waddles about to no great effect outdoors.

Last month I chose Congesta, and this month I chose another erect Ivy, again supplied by Fibrex. Erecta is a more vigorous plant than Congesta with larger leaves (three lobed and an inch by an inch). Erecta doesn't climb and has great uses as an architectural ivy. According to Peter Q. Rose, they do have arborescant shoots, which don't produce any flowers. However if you propagate from these you get a weird squat ivy often called humpty dumpty.

In the picture you can see that I've planted the ivy amongst some dark blue winter pansies. Very cheering in the coming months!

Another one you won't find down the sheds! Picture from Hazel Kay's book mentioned above

German for 'Hummingbird", and a variant from little eva (sans locomotion). Sold as a pot plant, but is pretty hardy outside. Fine for ground cover.

This vine-like ivy is quite variable even on one specimen. Some leaves are trilobate, and others tend towards the seven lobes. Jester's Gold is so called because of the resemblance of the leaf to a jester's tricorn. The variegation varies as well, as you can see! The more sun the plant receives, the more variegation.

I was rather suspicious of the name as the label proclaimed it as 'Jester's Gold ^tm'. This made me reach for my Peter Q. Rose. There is no entry for Jester's Gold in the index!!!

Still, whatever it's called it's rather different and a good climber.

This was May's Choice:

This Ivy is perfectly heart-shaped. It is a mid-green with noticeable veining. At the moment it will be rocketing and the new leaves are noticeably paler than the old. In the picture it is growing up a wall and is mixed in with some Ivelace. It can be unstable, and revert to a number of related variants. In fact it is a derivative of Pittsburgh via Star. Peter Rose notes that it has been known in America as Imp. Good for trailing!

In April my choice was.....

This was the ivy for the month of April. It is a big-leaf elephant Ivy. It goes under several other names such as HC A 'Marmorata', these are wrong! Interestingly the more common NC A 'Glorie de 'Marengo' can mutate into this stunner. Grow in a shaded, protected site as it can suffer frost damage if the temperature goes below minus four degrees. Great red stems, too.

It's common as muck, but that doesn't stop it being good. Again often sold as a houseplant, but is a great climber. When the leaves reach the top they get bigger! This state of 'arborescance' means the plant has done its job! Dates from the 1930's. Climbs with no problem, a great three-lober.

Appaloosa is sold, as many Ivies are, as a houseplant. It will of course grow anywhere -in or out. It is also specced up to the eyeballs - look at the list: crinkles; multi-variegation; firm point and five lobes. It's got the lot especially for a dull January in the garden. The variegation is, in part, more of a flecking. This is really in the ground cover bag - you won't get it to climb.

A confession - I think this is Appaloosa, but I might be wrong. If you think I am, and can identify the specimen above, please let me know.

Ivelace in the garden. This specimen is less than a year old.

In November my choice was HH Fluffy Ruffles. It's not obvious to everybody that this is an Ivy. The name is most descriptive and the leaves are distinctly crinkly.

In some ways it's an extreme version of Parsley Crested. Peter Rose describes the appearance of the leaf as "pom-pom like" - that just about sums it up. Oh yes, don't try to get it to climb. It won't. Like just about all Ivies it's pretty hardy and deserves to be outside, although often sold as a houseplant

Here is a parsley crested with new growth giving a lovely fresh green tinge.

A fairly common sight these days (although the evil garden 'centres' seem to prefer to flog you Adam, Kolibri or Little Eva and their ilk before letting you near the real gems). It is superb. Nothing much can beat it in terms of variegation, although HC 'Sulphur Heart' can certainly give it a run for its money.

Next month: A bit of a diversion -'near ivies'

If you are down the sheds, check out any different cultivars that might appear. They tend to release different cultivars at different times over the season. If you think one is nice, snap it up! It might not be there next time. Alternatively, write off to Fibrex or Whitehouse for a catalogue (see below).

The question was "What variety/cultivar/clone is the ivy shown here?"

It was a trick question! It is a not-very-convincing plastic fake (supplier: Messers Poundworld ltd)

Trivia Corner

Believe it or not there are more than fifteen different cultivars here. Conventional advice is to plant your ivies several feet apart, but this is boring. Instead, plant them close together, all cultivars mixed up and you get a stunning effect. Note that you might have to trim back the more vigorous variants.

For a huge selection of Ivies, get in contact with at Fibrex Nurseries, Pebworth, Warwickshire, CV37 8XT. Ring 01789 720788. They have an excellent catalogue and operate a mail-order service. It really is worth visiting if you're in the Stratford area.

Also worth a mention is Whitehouse Ivies, Eggesford, Chumleigh, Devon, EX18 7QU. Whitehouse used to have a nice catalogue as well, but I haven't used them for a few years so can't confirm that they still do.

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed me - it sometimes takes a while for me to reply.

Last Update 10th December 1999

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