Made of Bamboo

Bamboo products are everywhere but we often take them for granted!

When visiting the amazing French Bambouseriae [bamboo] Garden earlier I was struck by how many bamboo products there were in their on site garden centre. But it’s not just us gardeners who benefit from this tough and versatile material, it’s widely used in the building trades of the Far East.

 

 

Garden Tools

There are masses of  garden tools as bamboo products!

You don’t have to look far to see tools to keep your garden tidy made of bamboo.

Besom brooms, which I find indispensable when leaves fall in autumn, usually have a stout bamboo handle and thin wispy bamboo shoots tied together to form an effective brush.

Leaf rakes made from split cane are incredibly tough and often longer lasting than those made of metal.

Of course there are short handled rakes too. These have narrow heads that are perfect for tidying up between plants in a border.

 

 

I’ve been using a range of bamboo handled tools for quite some time now and I love the feel of them.

They have proven to be very strong and I’d certainly recommend them. They were generously supplied to me free of charge by Darlac.

I wouldn’t be without their Cape Cod Weeder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plant Training Bamboo Products

Looking entirely natural, bamboo products blend in perfectly with garden plants that need support.

Coming in a wide range of sizes there are bamboo plant trellis to suit most plants.

Smaller trellis are particularly suited to support wayward house plants.

Larger ones look great to train roses, Clematis, jasmine and heaps of other climbing plants.

 

 

 

 

 

Bamboo Screens

If you want privacy in your garden and you want it to look natural then bamboo screens are for you!

I’m always pleasantly surprised at how long these last.

They do need to be attached to supports of some kind – perhaps chunky bamboo posts if you can get them?

Of course, if you’re trying to create an eastern feel in your garden then these are the perfect backdrop to your plants.

 

 

 

 

Bamboo Fences

 

I spotted this neat bamboo fence at the Bambouseriae Garden in the south of France.

Stout posts are driven into the ground and horizontal bamboos are firmly tied to each post.

In this illustration I especially like the way that every alternate post is shorter. This makes the fence look much more interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bamboo Arches and Tunnels

Tunnels made from split cane at the Bambouseriae Garden really took my fancy!

I loved the simplicity of them and I could imagine one in my own garden.

Splitting the cane and steaming it to be able to bend it into a curve is probably beyond me. I’d almost certainly end up with painful splinters in my fingers.

So if I’m to have one then I’ll need to buy one ready made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Uses

Bamboo is used for scaffolding when buildings are built in many countries in the Far East. So why not use it as a plant support and create a gazebo?

This gazebo not only supports climbing plants but it also provides welcome shade on a hot day.

And when it gets hot it is necessary to shade greenhouses so that plants inside don’t overheat. Bamboo shade rolls can sometimes be seen on greenhouse roofs. When it’s cooler the bamboo shade is simply rolled back up the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

Why Bamboo?

Well for a start, it’s not plastic!

Bamboo is a natural product that doesn’t require oil or coal to produce it. So it is much more environmentally sensitive to use bamboo products in your garden.

Of course bamboo is renewable and suitable species grow at an astounding rate.

 

I’ve written about the best types of bamboo plants to grow in gardens. Read about it here.

 

What products are made from bamboo in your own garden?

Would you consider using more bamboo products in the future?

 

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