bamboo is prohibited for import into the usa in any form - plants,seeds, rhizomes, culms etc so if the border folks are on top of things, you'll lose it at the border, so canada may not be a good idea. feel like driving to detroit? i know of a supplier there but you'd have to go the long way to avoid customs again.

David, I looked at that Ebay sale of black bamboo and suppose it depends on what you're looking for. When I bought a start of black bamboo, I paid about $70 or so for a two or three gallon plant, delivered, from a reputable vendor. This was an entirely reasonable price. The plant arrived in a timely fashion and in great condition. I have no complaints. In contrast, that Ebay vendor you've found is shipping bare rhizomes for considerably less than I paid, but is this plant certain to survive? No, it isn't. As I understand it, black bamboo isn't particularly easy to propagate by rhizome, certainly not by rhizomes dug this time of year. So, as usual, you're paying much less and taking a much bigger chance. The buyer offers your money back within seven days, but you won't even know whether this thing will survive in such a short time frame. For me, not being a gambler, I'd much rather invest wisely in a sure thing.

You may be able to get a bias tape at a fabric store that complements the colors of the room. I would iron out the "bumps" from it being folded around the card. They sell a glue called "Tacky" at Joanne's that may work to glue the tape to the sides of the shade. You could also glue the bias tape onto the shades where the cords are run down the length of the shade, making two stripes of the tape on the shade itself, then the two stripes of the tape at the edges will look like they belong. I once used the Tacky glue to tightly wrap the ribs of a lampshade frame. I spiral-wrapped the ribs with bias tape and let the glue dry for a day. That then gave me a fabric-covered surface to each rib. I cut out fabric pieces to fit in the spaces between the ribs and used the Tacky glue to glue the left-side of each fabric panel to its left rib. I let that dry a day and then glued the other three edges of the fabric panels to their fabric-covered ribs, pulling it taut. After some trimming I covered each rib with a ribbon of ric-rac. Ta Da! A lampshade with no sewing. It wasn't lined, but I did not care. It has lasted me at least 17 years so far.

Be careful with the PB shades. They do not have the mechanism to hold the shades at different heights; you must use a cleat attached to the window frame to hold the cord used to lower/raise the shade. No where on the web site does it say this :(. Since I bought one for a window (middle one) with no frame I cannot use it. I also feel these shades are inferior in the construction: plastic rings, staples in the front of the shades to hold the fabric to the frame. Of course I bought some on clearance and could not return them. Before you buy make sure you check them out in the store. The ones I purchased were not in stores. For cheaper wovens I bought from JC Penny the ones linked below. I really like them. They are tightly woven and you cannot see through them. Not lined, but also not expensive. I got mine from the store. Don't know if the sizes are right for you but check them out! Here is a link that might be useful: cape cod shades