There is often a reluctance to grow ivy and other creepers as it is mistakenly thought that they cause a house to be damp. Many of them, however, have minute aerial roots which actually extract moisture from the wall. To convert a house into a cottage (in the horticultural sense), you need do no more than plant a climber such as a Virginia creeper. This plant will cover the wall with green leaves in summer (far less effort than painting it!), turning to flame-red in the autumn. Even when it is denuded during the winter, the trunks and branches will continue to create an illusion. All-year-round color may be provided by ivy, with the variegated variety being particularly suitable. For a less dramatic effect, the golden-berried Cotoneaster may be trained up a trellis work on the side of the house, and its buff-colored flowers will be a bonus in the spring.
