This venerable plant is loved and hated for the same reason--it grows fast and covers everything. Most people love the deep green glen it creates as it covers the ground, and also any tree trunk it reaches--with plenty of moisture, it'll climb to 50 ft. or more. Some yards have all the ground space and tree trunks leafy green with clinging English Ivy year round. This is a look most people love, but if you ever have to remove it, its a big job.

Most people use English Ivy as a groundcover in beds, and control it to those spaces. In either case, the leaves are always glossy and beautiful.