The Chinese Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus henryana), as innocent as it looked when I bought it in a small hanging pot, when planted in the ground, and if left alone, will surely cover the whole fence, your neighbor’s fence, your house, the entire space, and the heavens and earth.

Now, I’m torn between getting rid of it entirely to avoid troubles with the neighbors and the hassle of picking up leaves in autumn, or just keep what I am doing of pruning it diligently, very diligently, like two times a week, or else it will take over the world.

I love how the leaves perfectly cover the ugly fence and that it provides a shield from the neighbors’ scrutinizing eyes. There is a gap under the aluminum fence that the neighbor put up and the boundary concrete fence that was already there before we bought our house. That gap makes me feel uncomfortable when working in my garden as they can see me and their children always call me, when most of the time, I just want to be left alone spending time in my small garden. Maybe you don’t understand this feeling; only gardeners (and introverts) know.

The Chinese Virginia Creeper has distinct, attractive leaves. Each leaf is composed of five leaflets arranged palmately (like fingers on a hand), with each leaflet being elongated and pointed. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green with striking silvery-white veins, while the underside is a rich purplish color. In the fall, the leaves turn vibrant shades of red and orange, adding a great feel of autumn to my small garden. The beautiful leaves also soften the industrial look of the aluminum fence and the concrete fence. I want to be surrounded by plants, so this plant is perfect for this space.

On the other hand, although it is really pretty and a perfect cover, it also attracts bees. This plant bears berry-like fruits that start as flowers, which the bees love. The birds also love the berries. One day, to my surprise, a beehive was under the leaves, with busy bees in it. That was the biggest trigger for me to get rid of this plant no matter how pretty it is. It is one thing that it grows like crazy, but it is another, major thing, that it provides a perfect home for the bees. I even told my daughter to never go to the backyard by herself because I got scared she would get stung by the bees. I was already very sure to get rid of it come autumn, but after a few days, the beehive was gone entirely. I don’t know what happened, but it was gone.

Now, I am back to where I was before the bees. I look at it every day and am pleased with its beauty but at the same time weary of seeing that it doesn’t stop growing. No matter how I cut the new leaves, the next few days, they are back.

A few more months before autumn, and maybe when I start picking up the wilted leaves, I might have the strong will to get rid of this plant. Or maybe not.

Only time will tell. And my patience.