| Growing tips and advice for bamboo and grasses in | | | | time to plan ahead. This is also a good time to |
| the UK. Growing tips for plant care and garden advice | | | | determine where the shadow boundaries are. In the |
| on hardy bamboo plants ornamental grasses plus | | | | early months of the year, the sun is low on the |
| sedges and ferns for contemporary European or | | | | horizon and the shadows extend further into the |
| prairie plantings bogland wetland areas or gravel and | | | | garden. Look out on a bright day and mark the |
| dry gardens. | | | | extent of those boundaries with a couple of pegs. |
| If you give a plant growing conditions that are similar | | | | Determining these boundaries is quite important as |
| to those that it thrives in the wild then that plant will | | | | most true grasses relish the sun and do best when |
| usually do very well. Its not always as easy as it | | | | the have maximum exposure to it, even through the |
| sounds. Every garden has its own microclimate and | | | | winter months. This is because grasses including |
| although there are one or two things we can possibly | | | | bamboo are incredibly sophisticated plants when it |
| do to improve that, usually by adding or growing | | | | comes to converting sunlight to energy through |
| wind breaks, creating sun traps and opening up | | | | photosynthesis. Most grasses including bamboo, with |
| shaded areas the options are fairly limited. | | | | a few exceptions do not generally do well in shade. |
| There is nothing on the other hand we can do about | | | | However sedges and rushes do. Once you have |
| the overall climate in general. Living in the UK means | | | | determined the limitations of your boundaries you will |
| we are living the temperate zone where our climate | | | | have a good idea where grasses and sedges belong. |
| is very much influenced by the fact we are an island. | | | | The exposure to wind and elements will depend to a |
| The presence of the gulf stream blessing us with | | | | degree of openness of your garden. The prevailing |
| milder winters than we possibly deserve for our | | | | winds, coastal conditions, altitude, and geographical |
| latitude particularly when compared with | | | | location will all have an effect on the microclimate of |
| corresponding latitudes in central China ,where the | | | | your garden. Exposure to wind is probably the most |
| winters can be extremely cruel. Many of the | | | | damaging as it can desiccate plants and dry out the |
| ornamental bamboos come from these areas in China | | | | soil very quickly even in the winter months. It may |
| such as Ganshu, Sezchuan, Zhejiang where the | | | | be possible to erect physical windbreaks such as |
| seasonal changes are far more extreme than we | | | | fences or screens, however there are many |
| experience in the United Kingdom. As a consequence | | | | bamboos and grasses that stand up extremely well |
| we can easily grow bamboos such as Phyllostachys | | | | to exposed conditions and the larger species can be |
| Bissettii which is hardy down to minus 23 degrees | | | | used to good effect on the boundaries to form a |
| without much worry. | | | | quick growing living screen that is far cheaper more |
| However on the other hand we do not have such | | | | attractive and wonderfully animated in the wind when |
| intensely hot summers, so where a bamboo like | | | | compared to conventional fencing. |
| Bissettii will quite easily reach over 12 meters or more | | | | Knowing your soil types is essential. I say types, as |
| in its home environment we can expect it to make | | | | even the smallest garden may have a variety of |
| about two thirds of that in our climate. Usual | | | | different soil compositions and varying PH levels in it. |
| between 5 and 8 meters depending on whereabouts | | | | Most grasses and bamboos are unfussy about the |
| in the UK we are situated. Still a respectable size for | | | | PH but there is always the one or to that are, so |
| a larger garden and quite formidable for an average | | | | check the lists above. . Composition of the soil is also |
| one. | | | | important, a shaded area on the north-facing wall of |
| Although bamboos are true grasses their needs differ | | | | your property may prove to be extremely dry due |
| from many of the ornamental grasses. Where the | | | | to its shelter from the prevailing wet weather winds, |
| majority of grasses are happy with impoverished soil | | | | absorption from the footings, or excess drainage |
| and handle severe drought condition and exposure to | | | | created by a high proportion of builders rubble and |
| the elements such as wind bamboos are a little more | | | | sand that has been left or backfilled. |
| fuss though with a little care in choosing your plants | | | | These conditions are not conducive to most sedges |
| you should be able to cope with most situations. In | | | | or ferns and in fact not conducive to much at all. The |
| China much of the very best bamboos grow in | | | | options here are to dig out the planting area and |
| hollows and shallow valleys protected from the drying | | | | isolate the footings by placing a polythene sheet or |
| winds yet still enjoying maximum sunshine and the | | | | damp course between the wall footings and then |
| benefits of a moist and fertile pockets at the bottom | | | | replacing the soil after it has been much improved |
| of the depression. | | | | with lots of organic manure or compost and possibly |
| You probably have a picture in your minds eye of | | | | riddled as well. If you also have areas that have a |
| what you would like your garden to look like, but | | | | suitable aspect for grasses, but tend to be heavy |
| please take a moment before you start ordering | | | | and wet, then you can improve those areas by |
| your plants to make a basic appraisal of your gardens | | | | digging in plenty of sharp sand grit or shingle to |
| disposition with regard to the soil type the aspect | | | | improve the drainage. Unlike bamboos and sedges |
| and its exposure and also the shadow boundaries, a | | | | grasses don't have a high nutrient requirement in fact |
| factor that is often overlooked. Once you know | | | | many do best on poor soil so there is no great need |
| what you have, you will be able to assess weather it | | | | to incorporate organic manures or fertilizers. |
| can be improved or altered. If its not possible to | | | | An excellent way to maintain drainage in these areas |
| improve or alter your garden or the costs are | | | | is to make a gravel garden where a number of |
| prohibitive then it may be necessary to compromise | | | | specimen clump forming grasses can be shown off |
| a little. Now I mean compromise a little, because | | | | to advantage within an area of gravel mulch. This will |
| although the grasses you had originally planed to put | | | | effectively suppress unwanted weeds and the gravel |
| in a particular position or situation may now appear | | | | will work its way down over time into the soil and |
| unsuitable due to the fact that position is shaded or | | | | preserve its open structure an drainage. Bamboos on |
| far to wet . Dont worry there are loads of | | | | the other hand do best with a fertile free draining |
| alternatives amongst the sedges and ferns that will | | | | and evenly moist soil. They will however tolerate |
| literally thrive in those conditions and are very capable | | | | most condition except to excess. Perhaps their |
| of producing some of the most unusual and | | | | biggest dislikes are waterlogged ground and dense |
| attractive displays that you could wish for. | | | | shade. Like grasses they do not take a lot of looking |
| There is a saying about putting the wrong plant in | | | | after if placed in the right spot with their minimum |
| the wrong place. Basically its bull and the rest can go | | | | basic requirements plus a hair cut, comb through and |
| with the organic much. There is no such thing as the | | | | brush up and an occasional feed. |
| wrong plant; they are all the right plants, just some | | | | The problems to be aware of with bamboos is that |
| of them get put in the wrong places. Use your eyes | | | | some are clumpers and well behaved, ideal for |
| and look around you and appraise. Do your home | | | | specimen planting in lawns or as a backdrop for |
| work and find out which plant suits the soil type | | | | herbaceous perennials. The others are runners |
| which aspect is best for that particular plant then you | | | | beware some are rampant, such as the staggeringly |
| wont go far wrong. Finally if you have planted a | | | | beautiful Chimonobambusa Tumidissinoda from China |
| bamboo or grass and it does not look like its doing | | | | who like Genghis Kahn with his hoards will gallop |
| well, then dig it up and move it somewhere else dont | | | | across your lawn and into next doors in no time at all. |
| worry about the right time, the right time is right | | | | These bamboos are best kept I containers and they |
| now, while its looking poorly not when its dead. The | | | | do well being shown off and appreciated as such. |
| plant wants to survive as much as you want it to do. | | | | You can find more information and pictures on |
| Before deciding what and where you are going to | | | | growing bamboos and grasses at The Pot and Grass |
| plant make an assessment of the area. If you can | | | | Company. |
| try to do it early in the year so you have plenty of | | | | |