"orangetrader" writes in article dated Sat, 20 Nov 2004 22:19:30 -0500:
I am looking for ideas on what to do with the backyard. We are planning to
add a pond somewhere, and have always been facinated with the idea of a
large area of bamboos adjacent to a pond. With the oak trees the backyard
is always shaded there is virtually no sunlight and grass do not even grow
in that area except for a patch here and there.

What type of bamboo should we consider if we move forward with this idea?
We do not know much about bamboo except I bought two small 36" pots of
Budda's belly bamboo from a local grower for $60 a pot. I planted them onto
the ground in my current resident and they are now about 7 feet tall, and
have spread only about 3 feet in each direction. Very slow growing and very
expensive. If I wish to plant a large area I need some bigger, taller and
faster frowing variety, but I don't want any vigorous runners either. Any
ideas what would be a good choice (if there is one). Saw some beatiful
black bamboo a few years ago too and a single 10" pot was $250.00 -
expensive.

Your goals of spreading fast but not vigourously running might be
contradictory. Consider a root barrier next to the pond.

I'm planning on adding some bamboo to my backyard for privacy. My lot is on
the corner which puts my back yard in full view of the street and several
other houses. I'm planning on installing a root barrier where the fence
would be and then planting a fast-running variety.

One issue I have is height. I would like to see the street from the
upstairs windows but not from the ground floor. Is there a runner species
which grows to 10' and stops there? What about pruning the tops off of a
taller species, will it kill them?

I'm in zone 7a.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.