Hi GH I have Bambusa oldhamii across my back fence I bought it for the purpose of blocking out the double story house at the back, also for using it as garden stakes for my tall plants and short ones also. Like you I can use a drill and every other electric tool just find the router a triffle hard and had visions of all these wonderful bamboo screens and fences but not the furniture I prefer solid timber.

If you have the room I think it would be best if you put it in the paddock as the clumps do get thicker that is unless you want it for a screening purpose. This way you can grow as much as you want and have clumps as thick as you want. Only ever buy Clumping bamboo to put in the ground, if you want to grow running bamboo thats ok too but it should always be contained, or in a pot sitting on a slab so if you do see the roots coming out you can deal with them.

You really need Richard here, he know heaps about Bamboo and there are so many websites on the Internet where you can get info and there is always the library, thats what started me off I read this book in Townsville about all the furniture you could make, but by time we came down here and built this house I had enough of making things these days I only want to be the gardener not the carpenter.

Fine are lovely too, nothing nicer than bamboo swaying in the breeze, I dont have any of the fine ones Yet I was hopeing to get one from Santa also I was thinking of buying Santa a Giant Buddha belly that is a fantastic plant its culms are huge I think they are the ones that they make the frames for the Asian lounge suites but I could be wrong.

GH have a look at our Tropical Plants Forum you will find lots of posts on Bamboo there the link below is one of mine about a fine bamboo, also look on the USA site you will be reading forever. Hope this helps a bit till Richard sees your post....Cheers...MM

Here is a link that might be useful: Fine Bamboo

Hi GH,

I will try to elaborate on the good info Misty has already offered.
First of all i want to avoid any potential "Giant clumps" that you fear!(Unless of course you want one!)Do you live on acreage or a suburban size block? That plays a large part in deciding which bamboo to plant.
If you have a large block/Acreage then Bambusa oldhamii would be a good choice but be aware this can grow VERY large,but does provide strong timber for building furniture etc and delicious shoots.
Ghost Bamboo (Dendrocalamus minor var.Amoenus) grows up to 8 metres in height,has large tropical leaves and a chalky white/grey culms.This bamboo is very fast growing and perfect for a tropical style garden or a screen.
Gracilis(Bambusa textilis var.Gracilis)is another great plant for a screen or garden feature.The leaves are smaller than Ghost and very much looks like a "classical" bamboo .Gracilis grows very erect and up to 6-8 metres in height.The culms can be aten or used for craft work.
For a great smaller bamboo in filtered sun/afternoon shade then i would definately advise "Nepalese Blue" (Himalayacalamus porcatus) this is fairly new in Australia and has very graceful foliage and grows 3-4 metres.
If you really wanted some spectacular specimens i would suggest "Java Black"(Gigantochloa atroviolacea),"China Gold"(Bambusa eutuldoides viridi-vittata) or Bambusa chungii they all have beautiful colours but expect to pay a bit more for them.
Either way whatever one you choose ,i wish you happy growing,once you start growing these lovely plants you will become hooked!(Like me!)
Cheers

Thanks Richard and MM. I had a quick browse the other day and was nearly overwhelmed by the varieties available.

We have a small acreage but most of it is for a horse (more if the kids have their way). I can put a clump in the paddock but don't want it getting away. I think a plant around 7-8m would be ok but what spread would they have? I would love a really big one like the buddha one you mentioned MM but don't know if I would be allowed (the better half does do as he's told most of the time but...)

Some of the smaller ones sound good in the garden where they could have part shade.

Richard, I hope I don't get too hooked because they all sound good. I'll have to talk the better half into going for a drive to the bamboo nursery soon, but better not take the bankcard!

MM, Glad someone else knows how to use power tools. It annoys me to go into a hardware shop and get treated like an idiot by someone who works there but has never used tools before.

Hi GH now about the spread of them, well I started off with one culm and if you look at the link below you will see that after three years they are a lot more than one, the top pic has had a small clump taken out the September before so it would have been bigger again , I planted them about 120cms apart and now they are like a screen and you cannot see between them, but the clums are not interwoven.

You can separate them if they are getting out of hand, but its not easy with a spade mattock and crowbar if you are getting on in years, for the young ones it is different, or cut off the Bamboo shoots and eat them, so the spread is as big as YOU want it.

I get a lot of respect from Males in Hardwear shops NOW it could be the grey hair but I do know more than the average Guy would know about building houses, though I do know what you mean. If you have a Library handy see if they have a old copy of Gardening Australia February 2004 it has a article about Bamboo in it. Cheers...MM.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Clumps

Goldhills, why not take a drive to that bamboo nursery just north of Maryborough (don't think I am allowed to mention business names here). I called in last week on my way back from Fraser and you can see exactly what you could be buying as there are extensive plantings of all they sell - and excellent displays. Owner very friendly and helpful.
cheers
steve

Thanks Bestwon, didn't know about that one, haven't been up that way for a couple of years, good excuse for a drive. I know there is one down near Kenilworth way that is supposed to be fairly good.

It's funny but a few days after I asked this my husband mentioned to me that he wanted to get some bamboo! I had all my 'arguments' ready to talk him into it but didn't have to after all.

We went and bought 2 bamboo plants on the weekend, we were just going to get one but couldn't decide on one! Would have liked more but deliberately didn't take too much money.

We chose Bambusa oldhamii as we thought it the best all purpose variety for our needs and Bambusa vulgaris cv Vittata because it looked quite pretty with the stripes. Both a bit bigger than we wanted but we have the room so went for it.

Now I've just got to talk him into the smaller, pretty ornamental ones :-)

I am another bamboo tragic and have several varieties. Oldhamii does grow enormous but I have it to block the western summer sun and will keep it tall but not wide. Textillus Gracillus is my favourite (also known as slender weavers bamboo). Bamboo Rediscovered by Victor Cusack is an excellent reference book and also has an extensive section on using the culms for building etc.

Glad you finally got some GH my B.oldhamii is starting to reach for the sky and now blocking out the double story house at the back. I feed mine once a month with Lawn Food it does wonders for them as mine are planted in all the clay that came out of the stump holes when we were building the house, you know how everything gets chucked down near the back fence yea that kind of rubbish, they are looking very healthy now......Cheers..MM.