What's living in your backyard?
When we moved in to this house back in the summer of 2004, no one told us about the dangers that lurked in the backyard. Want to take a nap on the hammock? Forget about it. Unless you enjoy nightmares of Swamp Thing coming after you when you sleep.
When we bought this house we were too concerned about the plumbing issues to see that there was this horrific green monster that was tearing down our back fence. Well over a 180 feet of basket-weaved style fencing was being brought to its knees by this, a popular plant of the eighties, a way to keep things "green" with little upkeep. A popular housing option for rats, and the smell of cat pee that lingers with it, this green beast is not your friend.
What people don't understand is that not everyone likes ivy. I hate it. We're on a corner lot and I feel like I am constantly battling it from both sides. When we've chatted with our neighbors about the decline of our fences, we hear things like "But it's holding up our ivy." Holding up your ivy?! How about the safety of my dog and child and not having a secure, fenced yard. The yard that I paid for?
As we continue to install metal posts along our fence to hold it up, we get no support from the neighbors that installed the evil green beast on the other side. Who's responsibility should it be to maintain this? If you plant something that takes over your neighbors yard, I would expect that it is the responsibility of the "planter" to resolve the issue with the neighbor, no?
Thanks to our neighbors, the vegetable garden we once tended to in the backyard has been overtaken by ivy, and an overgrown fig tree. We gave up on the fight, and instead ripped out the grass in the front yard to start our vegetable garden, since our neighbors refused to tend to their own gardens, and keep the ivy from growing into our yard. Lucky them- now they get to look at my tomato cages!
What's your take on invasive plants from neighbors? I've heard horror stories about bamboo and ivy, and obviously I'm experiencing it myself. It's one thing if it's just green and pretty- but what if it's ripping down your fence, as shown above?
Soooooo, what's my point? How about considering your neighbor with everything you plant? Your favorite plant may not be theirs, and you need to consider that as you're picking plants out for your own garden. Anything that says "can be invasive" should probably be avoided, unless you have a full time garden staff that is willing to battle for you. And that battle will still come at a price. Do you want a nice relationship with your neighbor, or not?
What's living in your backyard?
When we moved in to this house back in the summer of 2004, no one told us about the dangers that lurked in the backyard. Want to take a nap on the hammock? Forget about it. Unless you enjoy nightmares of Swamp Thing coming after you when you sleep.
When we bought this house we were too concerned about the plumbing issues to see that there was this horrific green monster that was tearing down our back fence. Well over a 180 feet of basket-weaved style fencing was being brought to its knees by this, a popular plant of the eighties, a way to keep things "green" with little upkeep. A popular housing option for rats, and the smell of cat pee that lingers with it, this green beast is not your friend.
What people don't understand is that not everyone likes ivy. I hate it. We're on a corner lot and I feel like I am constantly battling it from both sides. When we've chatted with our neighbors about the decline of our fences, we hear things like "But it's holding up our ivy." Holding up your ivy?! How about the safety of my dog and child and not having a secure, fenced yard. The yard that I paid for?
As we continue to install metal posts along our fence to hold it up, we get no support from the neighbors that installed the evil green beast on the other side. Who's responsibility should it be to maintain this? If you plant something that takes over your neighbors yard, I would expect that it is the responsibility of the "planter" to resolve the issue with the neighbor, no?
Thanks to our neighbors, the vegetable garden we once tended to in the backyard has been overtaken by ivy, and an overgrown fig tree. We gave up on the fight, and instead ripped out the grass in the front yard to start our vegetable garden, since our neighbors refused to tend to their own gardens, and keep the ivy from growing into our yard. Lucky them- now they get to look at my tomato cages!
What's your take on invasive plants from neighbors? I've heard horror stories about bamboo and ivy, and obviously I'm experiencing it myself. It's one thing if it's just green and pretty- but what if it's ripping down your fence, as shown above?
Soooooo, what's my point? How about considering your neighbor with everything you plant? Your favorite plant may not be theirs, and you need to consider that as you're picking plants out for your own garden. Anything that says "can be invasive" should probably be avoided, unless you have a full time garden staff that is willing to battle for you. And that battle will still come at a price. Do you want a nice relationship with your neighbor, or not? 
Being that its a "good neighbor" fence, I would assist the ivy in the "tearing down" processbso that a new fence has to be built. They would have to pay half the cost and maybe that will put an end to the ivy?
ReplyDeleteDamn! We kind of hate our neighbor's Brugmansia that drops it's big ass flowers all over our side, but at least it smells good at night. Ivy would suck. We had to fight "Angel Vine" Muehlenbeckia complexa back in the day, and I continue to pull it out as it tries to sneak in from all sides. It ate an entire section of our house. http://www.faroutflora.com/2010/08/18/mattress-vine-massacre/ We feel your pain. Others around us don't feel the need to get rid of it, so we constantly have to protect our space. We're in rentalville.
ReplyDeleteWow...it really grows a lot. I don't know if ivy is quite that invasive here in Iowa, because it dies back some in the winter, or at least stops growing as much. I am growing a little ivy in my shade garden as a groundcover, and it still looks basically the same now as it did when I planted it a month ago! lol. I don't know if you are going to get anywhere with making them pay for the fence...can you cut the ivy severely back on your side...to the point where it 'accidentally' dies?
ReplyDeleteI'm invading my neighbors with 2 Passifloras and Distictis buccinatoria. I don't think they've noticed.
ReplyDeleteWe cut it back to the fence twice a year- filling up 2-3 large garden waste bins each time. There are spots on the fence where the previous owner tried to BURN it to death; it didn't work. Not all varieties of ivy are this bad, but then again one persons treasure is another person's NIGHTMARE! This is bad, on epic scale! Just goes to show you that the right plant in the right location makes a huge difference. Planting ivy on a fence is not a good idea, unless you have an agreement with your neighbor (or a cement fence). If your neighbor changes, be cautious that your now neighbor may not be as friendly with your plant selection, especially if they are masked by the realtor (as in our case). A good neighbor fence is a good neighbor fence. Don't plant something that will tear that fence down, unless you are ready to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I do have an idea, Carri...And I know you must be thinking, "I'm sure you do and never in a zillion years...."
ReplyDeleteI have an even more obnoxious invader: morning glories. My weed whacker simply tangles itself on those dratted vines. Only my trusty hori-hori can roust them from the soil, but they race back to regain their territory, seemingly overnight. The Algerian Ivy did succumb to dogged digging out of every last little shoot. The holdfast roots left scars on the fence but thankfully the neighbor seems to have waged the war from his side,too. Aughhh!
ReplyDeletethat first picture is brilliant!
ReplyDelete