Is there any plant that will last here?

This is the hedge line( all plants are my neighbors) between my fence and the neighbors property. It is under planted with ivy. All the hedges are mostly junk shrubs (privet, multiflora rose, bridal veil spirea, euonymus, rose of sharon, bindweed) that I cut back from my side 2Xs a year along with cutting back the ivy and pulling it off the fence frequently. Last fall I attacked the ivy from their side cutting pulling and smothering the narrow strip in the photo. I clearly did not get all the ivy, I can not apply chemicals. They are selling the house so I don't know how much longer I will have access. Is there some plant, I can under plant, that can compete with the remaining ivy, that doesn't climb and will survive dry shade?
I was thinking of maybe a fern that spreads quickly. Is there such a plant or am I dreaming of a solution?

you can hope that the new owners are not aware its their hedge, and let you do whatever you want....better yet, that they will be in agreement with you on what to do there.
What do you want the fern to do, fill the space left from ivy and prevent its regrowth?

sally, My fence is on the right, the grey one. Their deck is on the left. Further down you can tell the hedge is theirs.
Yes I'd like the fern to fill in so the ivy can't grow back in and over whelm the fence. I don't want to put too much money into it since the new owners could decide to completely pull everything out. I'd like a fast growing "running" native plant. On the neighbors side is a lawn so they mow to keep the ivy in check. I vaguely recall a really assertive fern- maybe hay or interrupted. I'll have to do more research, in the meantime maybe someone has an idea.

This message was edited Mar 24, 2007 6:55 AM

You may be dreaming in your potential solution, but that site/situation is certainly a nightmare.

What a plant jail!

I'd be amazed if you could find a fern that would outcompete English ivy, but I don't live/garden in New Jersey. Got some fern thugs? Osmunda claytoniana 'Soprano'? Dennstaedtia punctilobula 'Cement Shoes'?

Depending on the depth of the shade there, and droughty conditions, you might consider one of the taller ornamental grasses. Several reasons to do this:

•It should be far less expensive to procure and install the grasses (either from container grown, or additionally from seed)
•For whoever gets to continue to maintain this strip of "no persons/plants land", keeping the ivy at bay will be simpler among grasses than among other broadleaf plants
•Many of the ornamental grasses (native or not) have winter interest to their stems and/or seedheads, so you are not necessarily limiting the value to the growing season
•Grasses also provide some sound when the wind blows; rustling of the non-seed producing Miscanthus giganteus sounds like cascading water next to my deck (this is a 10-15' plant, not what you are after)

All this said, you might investigate some of the taller species like Panicum virgatum; it makes great clumps, is easy to purchase in containers or from seed, and I don't know that I've ever seen it die whether in prairie re-creations, ornamental beds, or parking lot islands. Size can range from relatively petite 3-4' selections up to 6-7' in the species (at least that's the performance around here in central KY).

If lack of moisture is an issue in survivability, laying a length of sweating/soaker hose in with the new planting would be the inexpensive quick fix, and only run it when needed. Smother the ivy. Lots of non-toxic ways to do that if RoundUp, etc. are out of the question.

This is a thick hedge. Here is the corner spring view. I think grass would only work if they allowed me to pull everything out. You're right, it's a no mans land. Hard access for me and only possible if they walk around to my driveway. Maybe I need a plan to present them with.
Here is a spring pic.

Why don't you try to talk to the curent owners of the property now before they sell the property and see if they would allow you to do something about it before they sell? If they aren't interested, you could try talking to the new owners. That might give you two shots at those plants of theirs.

There are several Dryopteris that might have a go in that area. Phegopteris hexagonoptera (Beech Fern) and Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) might make it in that area. I have these here and they seem to be tolerant of dry shade and they are rather attractive too particularly when planted in close proximity to each other. I like the difference in texture. These are plants that are indigenous to your area and frequently you can buy them by the tray.

This is a fairly low growing fern that makes a pretty tight mat of roots . I have it in a place that is not especially moist-no sun till late day.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1804/index.html
But if this takes, then it'll be peeking thru your fence eventually, but at least it can't climb like ivy.

sally and Equil, The two easiest suggestions for me are the sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis and the Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides. I already have both on my property and am familiar with their growth habits enough to know they are pretty and controllable. The Christmas fern forms large clumps over time but I would need a lot more plants to fill the area. I haven't found a source to buy those by the tray so if anyone knows where I can purchase them I'd appreciate the information. The sensitive fern spreads just enough in another area to supply plants for me to move. This one I hadn't considered before because it can die out sometimes for me, but it always comes back.

In the book "Ferns for American Gardens" by John Mickel there is a listing under "For Filling Large Spaces (These Species Have Widely Creeping Rhizomes And Spread Quickly) for Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Hay- Scented Fern) and Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York Fern).
Both are native but I'm not sure if these might not be too aggressive, the sensitive fern is on this list also. It would help if someone with personal experience with the 1st two could comment please. I did see the reference to the Hay-Scented fern as a thug in VVs post.

It's been my experience that the fern that might be a tad bit aggressive would be the Onoclea sensibilis. Dennstaedtia punctilobula tends to like it a little bit moist over here by me and didn't do all that well further upland in a dryer location. Thelypteris noveboracensis definitely likes it moist. I don't think they would be all that aggressive in the location you want to plant them because you mentioned dry shade.