Growing bamboo to improve your garden and your privacy

Bamboo is a versatile and attractive woody grass plant that has long been treasured in Asian countries for its strength, as well as its medicinal and culinary qualities. But it's also perfect for the Australian climate and is becoming a popular screening plant, says Greg Braun, who is known as Mr Bamboo.

"If you've got a privacy problem at home, growing bamboo can fix it," explains Greg. "Either grown in pots on balconies or in the ground against a fence, you can use it in situations where neighbours are looking down on you, or even between the house and the road."

Bamboo can be planted to suit the layout of a garden or patio and managed in a similar way to a hedge fence. Bamboo varieties often feature attractive foliage, but growers may choose to sculpt and trim these leaves for the sake of a tidy appearance. 

Growing bamboo is easy, although the plants require generous watering when first planted. The rate of growth of a plant will depend on the species, but once established, potted bamboo should only need pruning once a year. Garden bamboo can grow a little quicker and sometimes spread at an alarming rate.

When growing bamboo on balconies, Greg encourages regular trimming so the plant grows upwards rather than outwards. "You can't have branches getting in the way where space is restricted," he says. "Bamboo can be trimmed very easily and looks better for it. It likes manipulation."

Surprisingly, more varieties are available when growing bamboo in pots than in the garden. "In pots, you can use invasive (or running) bamboo varieties that you can't use in the ground as they spread too quickly," says Greg. "This gives you access to more species." 

Another advantage of growing bamboo in pots is the ability to move the plants around. Cold weather can be harsh to some varieties, so bringing the plants inside out of the frosty air is an advantage. And for renters, potted bamboo becomes a portable screen that can be shifted from one home to the next.