Please tell me about clinging ivy - I need some!

[whoopstheregoesmymerkin]

What sort of clinging ivy to I need to cover a wall and will it grow really quickly? Our neighbour's garage wall forms part of our garden and it is really ugly.
Thank you!

Think really, really carefully about growing ivy up brick walls, unless you're after a row with your neighbour . It gets into every nook and cranny and can lift guttering and fascias. There are many less invasive (and prettier) climbers out there.

Which way does the wall face?

Ivy causes havoc

What about a climbing rose or a Clematis?

How about a russian vine, also called mile a minute.

ahh so ivy not good
It's north facing and the only fascia guttering is on our side, so I take responsibility for that as it's my conservatory it could fall on
does russian vine take over the garden?
Do clematis grow quite quick? I am very impatient!
I have had no luck with a passion flower on that wall which ime has always gone mad before

I'd go for ivy regardless. A more interesting variety than the common one though. The fancier ones are a bit less rampant. Keep strimming the top so it doesn't get into the roof.

If you want something to cover the wall really quickly, you need an annual climber for the first year or couple of years, while the perennial climber gets established. You can have fun with growing different annual climbers each year.

I'd agree with TiggyD that an interesting variety of ivy, cut back at the top twice a year once it's nearing the top of the wall, should be absolutely fine. You could attach some trellis to the wall, with permission, and the ivy / climber can grow up that.

I had a long chat with a man from a specialist ivy nursery, who told me that he thought the problem was that most people buy an ivy and then never touch it again until it's become a problem.

Have you thought about Hydrangea petiolaris? This is a great climber for a north-facing wall and has beautiful ivory flowers late spring. It is very far removed from the pink and blue mophead hydrangeas! I have one on the side of my garage and it is lovely. Can't see any damage to the structure caused by this so it might be a safer bet than ivy (although like other people said ivy is great if kept well-tended and is also really beneficial for wildlife/insects due to its late flowering time when there is little else in bloom).

thank you there are some really good ideas

Actually, now hydrangea petiolaris has been suggested, I'd second that - lovely plant.

Make sure that whatever you plant, you plant it at least a foot away from the wall (measure it out - I always put them too close), feed and water well.

I've also just come across an evergreen self-clinging climber that was new to me, rather like Hydrangea Petiolaris but with smaller, more naturalistic flowers - Pileostegia viburnoides

Pileostegia is lovely but very slow to get going.
Schizophragma is nice, similar to Hydrangea petiolaris but with longer flowering period and larger flower bracts, but also slow.
Another otion is Holbelia, evergreen with scented flowers in May and much faster growing (though not self clinging).

I am keen on the unusual Ivies too, I have Cristata which has very fresh green foilage and crimpled leaves and is quite slow growing so easy to manage.