However, I have to confess that frustration got the better of me last weekend. I had seen on one of my frequent visits that the dead ivy was coming away from the wall in some places. Then, lying awake one night, I realised that if it ALL became detached from the wall then there would be a huge weight of ivy hanging from the corner of the roof where it is entwined with the gutter, slates and rafters. This could only be bad news, so to protect my intended investment I decided to have a go at the ivy without delay. It took me just over two hours, including the left side and tidying up, using my loppers mostly as it was mostly too thick for secateurs. The following photos show the before and after:
As you can see, I have hacked a line across the ivy back to the wall about ten feet up (OK, I know it's not horizontal), and also removed the ivy from around the bay window and along the bay roof where it was growing under the lead flashing. The cut channel will reduce the weight of potential "hanging ivy" by a good amount if it does decide to fall off, and it also pleases me to see the shape of the windows revealed!
I'm sure the vendor won't mind (or even know), so I'll probably have another go next week. I didn't want to stand on the flashing but I'll take some boards next time so I can get around the bedroom window. I will cut another line about five feet higher up on the left and round the corner but I can't go any higher as (a) my ladder won't reach and (b) there are unprotected electricity cables running to the top corner. (I have already asked the electricity supplier to protect them so that we can put up the scaffolding to do the roof.)
Meanwhile, back to waiting for the good news. Just how long can this sort of thing take?
UPDATED 12 OCT: Here's a later photo of both halves (ours is just the left hand) after a large part of the ivy just fell off last week (well, I gave it a slight helping hand):
I'm sure the vendor won't mind (or even know), so I'll probably have another go next week. I didn't want to stand on the flashing but I'll take some boards next time so I can get around the bedroom window. I will cut another line about five feet higher up on the left and round the corner but I can't go any higher as (a) my ladder won't reach and (b) there are unprotected electricity cables running to the top corner. (I have already asked the electricity supplier to protect them so that we can put up the scaffolding to do the roof.)
Meanwhile, back to waiting for the good news. Just how long can this sort of thing take?
UPDATED 12 OCT: Here's a later photo of both halves (ours is just the left hand) after a large part of the ivy just fell off last week (well, I gave it a slight helping hand):
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