Gardeners can grow their own privacy with bamboo

Gardeners looking for a bit of added privacy to allow them to enjoy their garden and greenhouse in peace may consider the merits of bamboo.

One of the main benefits is that even a young, small plant can become an established specimen in just two or three years, meaning a natural screen is put in place, Ham Central Nursery Palm Centre buyer Brian Trollip told Horticulture Week.

"A key selling point is speed of growth – small plants will become specimens in two to three years," he said.

"They can be very tall and erect and are excellent for screening, which is the main thing our customers look for.

"Good ones for this are Phyllostachys aurea [which has the] Award of Garden Merit (AGM) and P bissetii."

While bamboo is often associated with the Orient, both South African and Chilean varieties are available in the UK.

Another great thing is that it will grow in almost any fertile soil and are shallow rooted so shouldnt be too much of a nuisance to surrounding brickwork or when re-planting.

While very much dependant on local conditions, some species of bamboo can grow up to two inches in just one hour owing to a unique rhizome-dependent system.