A thick clump of ivy provides a wealth of benefits for our wildlife, says Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserves officer, Robert Morgan.

Ivy, to me, is both sadly misunderstood and unfairly underrated.

Noted for its long climbing stems and thick encircling foliage, shiny and evergreen, it twists around trees and engulfs neglected buildings.

But it also binds hedgerows and woodlands, and when cross-stitched with brambles and honeysuckle, makes them wonderfully dense and verdant.

In late autumn, when little else is available for nectar feeding insects, ivy provides a bounty of yellow hued blossom.