Hedera smells, provides cover for rats and starlings and spreads to where it is not wanted. If draping is the objective various other creeping plants will do that also, other easily located and grown choices might include creeping Taiwan raspberry, bearberry, bearberry cotoneaster, and creeping ('Repens') willowleaf cotoneaster.

I've planted many varieties of miniature ivies so they'll creep up cottage stone retaining walls and I'll train them in patterns. Also just put in some Algerian ivy. The other plant that will climb up concrete is euonymous fortunei. Put some varieties of that along extensive 150' of retaining wall. Read that miniature ivy is slower and not invasive like English Ivy.

Last year planted several varieties of vinca. This spring they have exploded! Very lush growth, spreading, pretty flowers. They are trailing down the retaining walls. I also walk along the tops of the walls so am being careful not to step on the vinca until it roots down below.

I wanted evergreen coverings to climb UP the walls. Only 2 plants, ivies & euonymous fortunei, do this, or so I've read.

bboy, do you know of any others?

I tried posting this before, screwed up as usual, hit something I shouldn't have and everything disappeared. :o( How about Parthenocissus henryana, Silvervein Creeper, clings to walls but needs some support to get started. It's not evergreen but very attractive, turns a lovely color in the fall.

A......

I was definitely thinking of parthenocissus over hedera. I don't really want the thick clump covering, more the veined espaliered look.

I have regretted every Ivy I have ever planted and I have only planted dwarfs and now have a sizeable job ridding myself of it.

Just for the Heck of it, I planted an ornamental dwarf ivy (Yellow and green leaves with red stems) at the base of a red leaved Norway Maple. Thug against thug. Vinca minor was then planted in a circle around the tree to contain the spread of the Ivy. It could only go up. This was about 20 years ago. It has worked just fine except for one problem I hadn't figured on. The Ivy produced seeds that reverted back to normal English Ivy and are coming up all over. Time to cut the whole works down!

I have to agree with Botann. I inherited some ornamental ivy, with a small, varigated leaf and though it is a tad slower than English Ivy it is still a major pest and difficult to control. I wouldn't plant any ivy! All of the plants mentioned so far are a much better alternative.

cascadians,

There are other plants that will climb walls. Climbing Hydrangeas and the cousins Boston Ivy and Virginia Creeper. None of these are invasive like Hedera cultivars are.