One homeowner was shocked to discover that the plant they'd chosen for decoration was a notorious invasive species.
They were initially seeking advice when they posted on r/landscaping.
"Will my English ivy grow?" the original poster asked. "I have a barn and I want to cover it in English ivy."
Their post included a photo of a porch on the exterior of a barn. Thick posts are visible, along with several pots of ivy and a hole ready for planting.
"The plan was to grow it up the posts of the barn, however the posts have concrete footings, which means the soil on top is around 6 inches," the OP wrote. "I've done a fair bit of googling, and it seems that ivy has very shallow roots (less than 4 inches), and the planted roots should hopefully be able to move past the relatively small concrete footing. I've considered about planting them in a pot, however I think that may limit the size it will grow."
Limited soil and stunted growth were the least of the Redditor's problems. English ivy is well known in the landscaping community as an aggressive invasive species. It spreads almost unstoppably over both horizontal and vertical surfaces, killing other plants and damaging the trees and structures it clings to.
Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?
Commenters tried to warn the OP. In response to the question about whether the ivy would grow, one user said, "Yes, it will, and you will grow to regret it."
"Find an alternative," suggested another helpful commenter. "Once English Ivy climbs, it becomes mature & it will start to flower. Then it will start to flower & set seed everywhere. Not to mention it will grow out of control. … Dutchman's Pipe, climbing hydrangea, even native wisteria will be less aggressive."
Native plants are healthy alternatives to invasive species, which is why so many people are rewilding their yards. They are easy to grow because they thrive in the area's natural conditions, and they are beneficial to the local ecosystem because they support other plants and animals, including pollinators.
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Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?
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Yes 
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