Australian gardeners have warned about the damage caused by the invasive plant, which is common in gardens across the country. Nathan Stafford of Nathan's Lawns and Gardens told Yahoo News Australia that if left unattended, it could cause severe damage to home structures and cost “thousands of dollars” to repair.
Sydney gardener Ms Stafford was called to a property in Strathfield on Friday where she got a first-hand look at the destructive power of ivy. Tasked with removing 15 years of ivy from a rental property, Ms Stafford spent 40 minutes clearing the “jungle” in the back garden.
But it was only after removing a bunch of ivy that had covered the entire perimeter of his house that he realised the damage it had caused after years of neglect.
“This is pretty powerful. It's really destroying the foundations,” he told Yahoo News Australia on Sunday. “It's awful.”
“Ivy was coming in through the windows and the wood framing throughout the building was starting to peel off.
“The bricks under the window frames had collapsed badly and because it's an old house, all the wooden beams leading to the roof had been pulled out.”
The ivy had covered the entire side of the house, putting pressure on the foundation, and had damaged the bricks and roof tiles. Source: Nathan's Lawns and Gardens
Additionally, Mr Stafford, who has a large social media following, said the ivy was “creating gaps” and putting pressure on the roof tiles, which would be a major problem when it rained.
“Water would come into the house. It would be a total nightmare,” he said.
Ivy becomes 'big problem' across Australia
Ivy is recognised as a serious environmental weed in several Australian states, including New South Wales, where it invades forests, riverine habitats and roadside vegetation and is a major problem in many areas.
Although the weed has been growing for 15 years, it only takes two or three years for it to cause damage to buildings. “Once left unchecked, it can cause thousands of dollars in damage if not controlled,” Stafford warned.
Gardeners' response to criticism
Popular gardener Stafford received comments from people saying it looked better before after posting the transformation of her garden on social media. While she liked the greenery, she said it “detracted from the look of the house so I had to prune it.”
Mr Stafford has previously been tasked with tackling the country's most overgrown gardens and has warned Australians about the dangers associated with excessive weed growth.
Meanwhile, another gardener has warned that another invasive plant commonly found in Australian gardens is sure to “destroy the surrounding environment”.
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