I've really enjoyed reading all the above - thanks . Talking of rampant bamboo - on a holiday to Tobago a couple of years ago whilst on a tour around the island our guide showed us the devastation that is being caused by bamboo all over the island. There's a huge loss of native species especially ground cover plants which cannot thrive beneath bamboo . It's a serious problem there and nothing is being done about it . When on a hillside I remember looking across a valley that was completely covered in bamboo.
Bamboo can be a real thug. No barrier will contain it if it's the running kind. Heavier soil helps to hold them (which we have here) but don't be fooled. You still have to keep an eye on the clump formers.
I had a well behaved dwarf clump former in my old garden round the corner. I think it's stayed there ...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've heard stories of bamboo (my other half's family had struggles with the roots).
I was planning on building a hollow small wall for a seating area (pretty much a concrete box - breeze block and rendered) and containing them in that.
Would that work or would the fact a lack of drainage be an issue (bearing in mind it would have a concrete base - therefore fully contained)? If not, is there a very similar plant I could use but have an open bottomed container? I think it's the long, thin leaves I really like!
If it was in a fully contained concrete box it wouldn't be able to run riot. Leave some drainage slots at the bottom of the blockwork and it wouldn't end up waterlogged either.
I have a fargesia nitida which is exceptionally well behaved too. It's been in place about 20 years and has formed a tight clump about 30 inch diameter.
The well behaved one I had was a fargesia KT. I think it's important to point out that, like many plant species, there's a vast range of bamboo. Not all are rampant and not all are well behaved. They're not all reliably hardy either, depending on what part of the country you live in. The majority of those on offer in many garden centres are often the ones causing issues because they don't suit small residential gardens. It pays to research thoroughly and to know your own conditions
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've just moved house and the garden is naked the owner just threw a load of that coloured gravel over it and that's uneven, I came from a lovely south facing very private garden i'd planted over 17 years. This garden only gets a bit of sun furthest away from the house and in terms of privacy is overlooked from all angles like a goldfish bowl.and i hate it. as a quick fix i was going to buy some already grown tall bamboos and plant in troughs for a bit of privacy but I've just read this thread and am now very wary incase they get out of the pots and run lol. wouldn't want to upset my neighbours. My other thought was to plant already grown red robin. I would be grateful for any other suggestions for an instant fix, I so miss my lovely garden.
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I've really enjoyed reading all the above - thanks . Talking of rampant bamboo - on a holiday to Tobago a couple of years ago whilst on a tour around the island our guide showed us the devastation that is being caused by bamboo all over the island. There's a huge loss of native species especially ground cover plants which cannot thrive beneath bamboo . It's a serious problem there and nothing is being done about it . When on a hillside I remember looking across a valley that was completely covered in bamboo.
Sounds a bit like the problem caused by rhododendons in some parts of the country.
Don't mention the Ponticums KT53 ...
Bamboo can be a real thug. No barrier will contain it if it's the running kind. Heavier soil helps to hold them (which we have here) but don't be fooled. You still have to keep an eye on the clump formers.
I had a well behaved dwarf clump former in my old garden round the corner. I think it's stayed there ...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Eek! (Apologies for gate crashing this thread)
I've heard stories of bamboo (my other half's family had struggles with the roots).
I was planning on building a hollow small wall for a seating area (pretty much a concrete box - breeze block and rendered) and containing them in that.
Would that work or would the fact a lack of drainage be an issue (bearing in mind it would have a concrete base - therefore fully contained)? If not, is there a very similar plant I could use but have an open bottomed container? I think it's the long, thin leaves I really like!
If it was in a fully contained concrete box it wouldn't be able to run riot. Leave some drainage slots at the bottom of the blockwork and it wouldn't end up waterlogged either.
I did consider drain holes but after reading threads like this thought the bamboo might be pesky enough to find a way through them?!
Somapop, if you read the thread above you will see that everyone with experience recommends avoiding bamboo completely.
I have a fargesia nitida which is exceptionally well behaved too. It's been in place about 20 years and has formed a tight clump about 30 inch diameter.
The well behaved one I had was a fargesia KT. I think it's important to point out that, like many plant species, there's a vast range of bamboo. Not all are rampant and not all are well behaved. They're not all reliably hardy either, depending on what part of the country you live in. The majority of those on offer in many garden centres are often the ones causing issues because they don't suit small residential gardens. It pays to research thoroughly and to know your own conditions
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've just moved house and the garden is naked the owner just threw a load of that coloured gravel over it and that's uneven, I came from a lovely south facing very private garden i'd planted over 17 years. This garden only gets a bit of sun furthest away from the house and in terms of privacy is overlooked from all angles like a goldfish bowl.and i hate it.
as a quick fix i was going to buy some already grown tall bamboos and plant in troughs for a bit of privacy but I've just read this thread and am now very wary incase they get out of the pots and run lol. wouldn't want to upset my neighbours.
My other thought was to plant already grown red robin.
I would be grateful for any other suggestions for an instant fix, I so miss my lovely garden.