English ivy

Hedera helix

Clingy, luscious, misunderstood. Ivy has long been accused of strangling trees, but it doesn’t harm the tree at all, and even supports at least 50 species of wildlife.

The berries are eaten by a range of species including thrushes, blackcaps, woodpigeons and blackbirds. There is a woodpigeon making a nest in this ivy at Charlotte's pool so she'll have a larder on hand when the chicks are hatched.

Ivy is also an important food plant for some butterfly and moths: holly blue, small dusty wave, angle shades and swallow-tailed moth. It can also attract the golden hoverfly. Will keep a look out for these now.

• What