Dueling Vines

Ornamental Grape Ivy dueling with English Ivy

I've been out in the garden, not to work, but enjoy.  However when I start to walk around I see things that I need to tend to.  The greatest problem in our garden is the vines.  If you were to say to Rick, how's the ivy, he would turn green and that's not from envy!!


I know that when the previous owner was starting out and landscaping the tiny little ivy plants all looked so innocent; who would have ever suspected?


I start to pull then away from where they are intruding and in many places it can't be done.  I keep trying to tear out these invasive overwhelming parts of my garden (life) and I realize I can't do it alone.  I have let it go too long.


Had I been diligent each and every year to keep the ivy and vines in there place, then it would have never gotten this far.  So far that the task is just too big for me.  I need experts and heavy equipment.


We have a wood privacy fence in the backyard.  It is completely covered with ivy and vines.  It used to be just English Ivy and now the Ornamental Grape Ivy and the Virginia Creeper ar staking their claim.


I know from experience that you can pull the trailers off of the vines where they are invading, but seriously, this 'pruning' just causes them to be more prolifict.  It is the lazy man's way out and I'll admit it, when it comes to these vines I want the easy way out!


The correct way to rid my yard (life) of these vines is to trace these tendrils back to the root, the root of the problem.  For, the trailers from that root are only products of the root or true problem.  Continually removing the products or symptoms only serve to make the root stronger and flourish.


I am really talking about ivy and vines.  But, as I was furiously yanking and pulling to rid my yard of these things, it occured to me how many times to be truly free of something in my life that is tying me up and locking me down, I have to go to the root and rip it out.


That may take help and heavy equipment.  I have seen in my life so many of my friends and family tied up and locked down by habits like alcoholism, smoking, drugs, gossiping, anger, bitterness, etc. The more they try on their own to rip out only the tendrils that invade the most obvious areas of their lives, the root continues to enlarge and grow deeper.


If you are someone who no longer wants to keep fighting the tendrils of an area of bondage in your life and can't rip the root out by yourself, call in an expert and have them bring in the heavy equipment.


I know that once I get the root of these ivys and vines removed there will be a refreshing feeling to the garden.  Some rebuilding and replanting will be necessary, but there will once again be order and beauty.

Clemantis

This is my favorite vine.  It is beautiful and gentle.  It has huge big flowering blooms that are amazing to look at.  It is not intrusive and is easily contained.  Last year when Rick was going to tackle the vine/ivy problem, this was the first to go.  He had no idea that they were my favorite and that I had purposely planted them.  I think after my response to their erradication, he has decided to let me deal with the vine problem on my own.

Ornamental Grape Ivy

This is one picture of our fence which will soon be completely covered in this ivy.  I'm ok with that, if it will just stay in its place.

Virginia Creeper

This is on the side of our house and you can see the Virginia Creeper on the fence behind the Japanese Maple.  This is where I was pulling this morning before quiting, to come write this blog.  I did fine until I found a main vine that I couldn't break with my hands no matter how hard I pulled.  It was about as big around as my little finger.

Mouse Ear

This is mouse ear and I love it too.  It is a ground cover and will not grow without dirt.  It will creep down the wall, but you can easily cut it and keep it back.  It will invade everywhere there is ground to cover though.  But for the most part it plays well with others.  Encourage it to grow around the other plants and not over them, and it will do fine.

Honeysuckle

This is Honeysuckle as it should be; up the trellis and out of the way.  Leading to this mound of honeysuckle are two large thick 'trunks', one is slightly visible in this photo.  It would take major equipment to get this dug up and out of the way.  But once it has grown up, it stays up.  I haven't had any trouble with this one.  I do have to keep little sucker trailers from creeping out from the bottom though.  But since I have not let it get out of control, it isn't a problem.

Honeysuckle on my Hydrangea

(oooh that almost sounds kinky)

The thing I hate about honeysuckle is that it is hard to control.  This is my hydrangea bush that hasn't quite come out yet and I see a huge honeysuckle tendril wrapped tightly around it.  I'll have to tackle that soon.

Honeysuckle out of control

OK, here is what I was talking about.  This is one of several everygreen bushes we have in our backyard.  They are so inflitrated with honeysuckle that I am ready to get chains and dozers (if it were possible to get a dozer in the backyard) and yank the whole mess out.  It is more than I can handle.


I wonder what else in my life there is that I should look at; that could be on the verge of being - out of control?


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire
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