One of the most important plants in the UK is also one of the most hated
Beautiful, isn’t it? Recognise it?
It’s Ivy.
It flowers when little else does and provides an essential stop-gap of nectar. It has leaves when little else does and provides essential roosting protection for bats. Its fruits ripen when little else is around and provides food for overwintering birds.
Ivy is essential to maintain the health of the British countryside. Without it there would be a small but significant ecosystem collapse. Yet people despise it:
Which just makes me think: nature doesn’t need gardeners. Nature needs acceptance and to be left alone.