Ivy

I'm not a fan of ivy.  It's incredibly invasive. It takes Borax to kill it. Rats love it.  

On the other hand, it's green and drought tolerant and when well groomed it does look pretty.  I've spent the past three years cutting back the ivy that grows over our back fence from the neighbor's yard.  Then one morning not too long ago, I was standing at the back door looking at our back yard.  I was day dreaming of all the possibilities for the space.  A current goal is to make the concrete and slated areas more lush and greener.   It dawned on me that if I let the ivy freely grow it would make the entire fence green and therefore give the pool area a lush feel!

I've stopped trimming and like a short hair that's growing out, this in-between phase is annoying.  There are patches of green here and there which give the fence an unkempt look.  I'm hoping in the end the whole thing will look beautiful.....and I'm also hoping the neighbors don't get bored with ivy one day and decide to get rid of it!