Important issues here: There was a rat trap next to the garage that may have been hard to see. Rat poison is horrible for birds like owls, eagles and hawks, who eat animals which eat that poison so please don’t use it. Ivy can totally take over so make sure you are able to contain it if you plant it. If you have ivy growing all over the place, try to get rid of it. If it’s too late, sever it at the base of trees and shrubs because it can kill them if left unchecked. Dyed mulch has toxins in it a