Bamboo is quickly becoming one of the most popular landscaping plants available. Many landscapers and gardeners have successfully used the unique properties of clumping bamboo plants to create magnificent and beautiful designs. If you are one of many people who are interested in using bamboo to create your own amazing yard or landscape, it is important to know just how many ways that this can be done.
Privacy Screens
One of the most popular uses for clumping bamboo is privacy screens. Not only are bamboo privacy screens more natural than common privacy fences, but they also cost less, require little maintenance and they are not restricted by most city ordinance guidelines. In addition, clumping bamboo plants are among the fastest growing plants in the world. It generally only takes 2 to 5 years for bamboo plant to reach full maturity, which means that you could literally have a 50 foot privacy screen in less than 5 years.
Aside from their aesthetic appeal, bamboo privacy screens can also provide some measure of security. Clumping bamboo plants often have different clumping patterns, with some growing so thick and dense that even small animals cannot pass through them. These thick clumping varieties, such as Multiplex, are referred to as “tight clumpers” and make an excellent security fence. Other varieties, known as “open clumpers” have culms that grow further apart and make for an excellent green screen.
Some of the best choices for privacy screens include:
- Oldhamii Giant Timber
- Seabreeze
- Multiplex Varieties (Fernleaf, Silverstripe, Stripestem, etc.)
- Angel Mist
- Golden Hawaiian
- Buddha Belly
Hedges
In some cases, when a full privacy fence or screen is undesirable, clumping bamboo plants make an excellent choice for hedges. Unlike other popular hedge plants, whenever a culm is cut, it will never grow any taller. However, new culms come up annually that will surpass the height of the cut culm. This means that you only have to trim your bamboo hedge about once a year in order to keep it at the height you desire.
Nearly any nearly any clumping bamboo variety can be used to create a wonderful hedge. However, when creating a hedge, most people prefer Multiplex varieties as opposed to timber bamboo.
Recommended hedge bamboo varieties include:
- Seabreeze
- Multiplex Hedge
- Fernleaf
- Silverstripe
- Stripestem
- Alphonse Karr
Wind Brakes
Bamboo is a flexible and resistant plant that makes an excellent option for wind brakes. With more people than ever before looking to reduce their energy consumption and bills, many are looking to wind brakes as a method for channeling cool summer breezes and deflecting cold winter winds. By using bamboo to create a landscape design that channels cool winds during the hot summer months and reduce the amount of cold winter winds that reach your home, you can reduce the amount of stress on your home’s heating and cooling system.
Containers
Another popular choice for landscaping with bamboo is containers and pots. Watson containers offer a great degree of versatility in how you can implement bamboo into your landscaping. It is also great choice for using bamboo in urban landscapes and areas where space and privacy are a factor.
Some popular uses for container bamboo are:
- Ornamental centerpieces
- Privacy screens
- Patio or porch decoration
- Gazebos
- Walkway lining
- And anything else you can imagine
It is also important to know that when planted in containers, bamboo plants typically grow to about half of their full-size. It is also typical for them to outgrow their containers, which means that they will have to be divided every 2 to 4 years.
Ornamental Centerpieces
Many landscapers and home gardeners have found that clumping bamboo plants are the perfect choice for creating an ornamental centerpiece. Whether an urban yard or an Asian inspired landscaping theme, the unique attributes offered by many varieties of bamboo make a perfect focal point, ornamental centerpiece and conversation piece.
Some of the more popular choices for ornamental bamboo include:
- Giant Buddha’s Belly
- Yellow Buddha’s Belly
- Alphonse Karr
- Golden Hawaiian
- Tropical Blue
- Angel Mist
Other Ideas
In addition to the most common uses of bamboo, there are numerous ways that you can incorporate bamboo into your landscape. Even if you don’t have a themed design or are simply looking for a bamboo to complement your current design, this versatile plant can be used in a wide variety of applications.
Some of these include:
- Lining walkways
- Complementing water features
- Creating shaded paths
- Edging
- Creating shaded gazebos
- And more
Using Bamboo For Landscaping
Clumping bamboo plants are one of the most diverse and versatile plant varieties available for your landscaping projects. Not only do they grow super-fast, but they are practically unlimited in their applications. On top of that, they are also very low-maintenance and require little more than regular watering, yearly fertilizer applications and annual pruning.