Ivy may be great, but if it isn't native then it can be bad for the local ecosystem. I've got some in my backyard and it smothers everything else except the pine trees (and even those three ivy would eventually take down) I just finished removing the blackberries. The ivy is next and then maybe the holly
Mum and Dad had ivy, blackberries and holly. It all seemed to work out OK for them. And other smaller plants like borrage and grape hyacinth. But of course, YMMV. And it was a big garden.
