Totally confused!

I've researched this quite a bit and am more confused than ever! Maybe someone can clear it up.....

IVY!

OK, a few years ago I got 2 "English Ivy" plants. I planted them next to the house hoping that they would crawl up the walls for that cottage look. Very sandy soil (amended), full shade, ample water, brick wall. They were only labeled "English Ivy" - no specific cultivar.

They grew - but very slowly and only along the ground - even tying them up against the bricks they still didn't stick. They didn't root anywhere else though, just longer stems from the main plant.

So, researching this I found out that I apparently should have gotten Boston Ivy rather than English Ivy because English Ivy doesn't climb.

Then I read another thread here and found out English Ivy only climbs/clings only when it's young? So maybe my stuff was rooted from older wood?

Then discovered English Ivy did crawl up walls, trees, siding, etc. and was highly invasive?

Then saw that there are actually 3 different plants all going by the name English Ivy, one was highly invasive, one less so, and one actually more of a bush (which seems maybe like what I've got)

So, does anyone know what's up?
I moved one of the plants I had to my berm for a ground-cover, and soil retention but, if it is highly invasive maybe I shouldn't have it there.
The one next to the house maybe I should replace with Boston Ivy?
And, where exactly does Virginia Creeper fit into the picture? Some companies use Boston Ivy/Virginia Creeper interchangably - but I have Virginia Creeper here and it doesn't look anything like an Ivy at all!

So obviously, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to Ivy. What I do know for sure is: Here around Denver there are homes covered with Ivy - so some form of it does grow and cover brick. And, I used to have houseplants that were labeled "English Ivy" that grew really well for me but died when I moved them to a sunnier spot.

HELP!! -Christie

I had Boston Ivy, grew up concrete block(basement),outside then went under the siding, all along the concrete wall, would not climb up the vinyl siding. Grew all over the ground, very invasive, crowded out lilly of the valley, lillies, tulips, etc. in time, they all disappeared. I dug all the ivy out. Are you SURE you want it all over the outside of your house? It will even go up into spouting and roof.

Well, I'm not sure. I want something that will climb against that wall to help keep the house cool but there is a flagstone patio there so I can't put in a tree. I've tried Trumpet Creeper here, but haven't had luck with it anywhere - If I can't grow it in sun, it probably wouldn't grow in shade either, same w/ Virginia creeper - I don't think it likes the shade. My other choices seem to be only vining plants as opposed to clinging ones.
It's my problem area :-( I just dress it up with pots of shade loving annuals and I've got a sunken bog in the flagstones - but that bare wall just makes me nuts!

this would be time consuming but what about...

Sinking eye hooks into the brick in spots (using a masonry bit) then stringing cable thru the eye hooks- instant trellis- then grow vines till you burst...

Heather

Well, I have supports for it now, but seems like kind of a moot point, it doesn't twine or cling to anything so there will become a time when I'll have to get up on a ladder to put in more supports, and not sure if its worth it! Its only about 3 1/2 feet tall now so maybe I'll just leave it there and see what happens.
I am going to monitor the one I moved to the berm, though, for signs of invasiveness - I'm going to underplant it heavily, if it starts growing quickly and becoming a bully I'll take it out (that is assuming I don't kill it from moving it to a sunny spot!)

I would still love to know all of the differences between them, though.