The perfect garden should feel cohesive with its surroundings. When it comes to design, your home and garden should flow seamlessly from one to the other, transporting you into a green oasis that makes you want to stay there forever. Climbing ivy is one of the ways to accomplish this lofty goal, and Reese Witherspoon's garden is one of the best examples we've seen.
We caught a glimpse of the actress's garden in a recent Instagram video, and we haven't stopped thinking about the climbing plants on the exterior of her home. Witherspoon's planting technique features four different segments of bright green ivy growing up the house: one on the left side, one on either side of the front door, and one on the right side of her home. The splash of green is the perfect complement to the cream exterior of her home. It's so striking with the home's turquoise shutter and black metalwork.
Altogether, these colors combined with the ivy produce a gorgeous English garden look. This gardening style is popular for its traditional appearance with a slightly romantic, whimsical feel. Traditional English-style gardens are biodiverse with an enchanting mix of frothy greenery and bold wildflowers. Climbing vines and winding paths are an essential part of the look.
Reese Witherspoon has the look down; ivy is a staple of gardens in the UK. Drew Swainston, Master Gardener and Gardens Content Editor at Homes & Gardens states: 'Ivy is a vigorous climber that can work wonders to give homes a classic look.' The cottage garden look is elegant and gorgeous.
The most important consideration when it comes to recreating Witherspoon's look is care. Swainston says: 'You do hear scare stories about ivy damaging masonry and walls, however, it can be kept in check with regular pruning. Pruning ivy keeps it maintained and stops its roots from creeping into spaces where you don’t want it.'
He advises: 'Prune the ivy regularly, at least once a year, to keep it contained and keep it a good distance away from gutters, windows, or roofs. Prune offshoots back to the main framework of stems using a pair of pruning shears or hedging shears.'
Furthermore, it is important to consider variety when choosing the best climbing plant. It's easy for a poor choice to grow out of control and be extremely difficult to prune and take care of. Swainston says: 'Avoiding invasive ivy, such as English ivy, is also a must to avoid any potential damage.'
This beautiful verdant ivy plant would be the perfect complement to a wild garden
If you love the look of climbing ivy on Witherspoon's home but don't feel comfortable planting it on the exterior of your house, it is easy to care for ivy indoors. It takes very little attention and very little watering. The most important thing is providing your ivy plants with lots of bright sunlight. Just like the ivy on the exterior of your home, pruning is also an essential part of living with this plant. Taking off leaves is healthy for the plant in the long term and can be a very enjoyable activity. Ivy can also be planted in hanging baskets for a similar, non-invasive application.
An English countryside look is one of the most stylish and traditional ways to plant your garden. With a few queues from Reese Witherspoon and growing tips from Homes & Gardens, your cottagecore dreams are well within reach.
