I am looking for advise, on selecting and growing a bamboo grove in my
garden.
I live in southern Ontario (zone 5)
Take a look a www3.sympatico.ca/b1wmah56 for some pictures of my garden. If
you look at the general picture of the pond, I would probably put next to
the fence on the left.
I am looking for something that would grow to 8ft, and would be
controllable.
I have been told that Bamboo will spread very rapidly, and aggressively.
Not only that but that it might damage my pond liner.
Any advice would be most welcome.
TIA
AXO

Nice garden! If the area is fairly shady, you might try a Fargesia
murieliae "Umbrella Bamboo". This is a clumping bamboo and is not
aggressive, although it will very gradually increase in size, and you may
need to prune the roots at some point to keep it the size you want. Cut
and paste the name above into a Google search for images to see lots of pics
of this variety. Search for bamboo nurseries too. They generally give you
an idea of how hardy the different varieties are.

Clumping bamboo are not very aggressive, but running bamboo are. I think
runners are just a lot easier if you install a rhizome barrier. This is a
fair size project, involving renting a ditchwitch trencher or a bobcat with
a trencher attachment. If it's a small area, you could dig by hand, but the
trench needs to be 27" to 33" deep. Be sure to check with your local
utilities to be sure you won't be digging up their stuff. That could be
expensive, or if you hit a gas line, fatal. Then you install a thick
plastic barrier that entirely encircles the planting.

Either kind of bamboo is a bit more work to maintain than a tree or shrub,
but if you really like the look, it is worth it.

-----
Bob


Axolotl wrote in message
. 130...
I am looking for advise, on selecting and growing a bamboo grove in my
garden.
I live in southern Ontario (zone 5)
Take a look a www3.sympatico.ca/b1wmah56 for some pictures of my garden.
If
you look at the general picture of the pond, I would probably put next to
the fence on the left.
I am looking for something that would grow to 8ft, and would be
controllable.
I have been told that Bamboo will spread very rapidly, and aggressively.
Not only that but that it might damage my pond liner.
Any advice would be most welcome.
TIA
AXO