Battle of the Ivy

Ivy is everywhere in this garden - which is not surprising.  We live in a rural area and most of the trees in the hedgerows have ivy growing up them to a great height.

I am very aware of its benefits for wildlife and even this week wood pigeons and blackbirds are feeding on berries that remain from last autumns flowers. Ivy won't flower (and therefore berry) until it starts to climb upwards and I'm talking about battling the horizontal swathes that cover the ground over several beds.

this sort of stuff!

These photos are of one of the borders on the shady side of the garden. This is a border that has been mostly left alone since we've been here.  There are large areas that look like this.  

It's a thick mat of stems and roots.

The ivy has got to go!

You wouldn't know it but this is a hardy fuchsia - it's a real statement plant by late summer and yes that is ivy growing all over it's crown

So I'm making a start.....

Bit-by-bit I will get on top of it - the first small cleared area - probably about 6 x 6 inches!