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Fargesia murieliae 'Lava'
Ilex crenata (Cloud Pruned, Nikwai Tree)
Taxus cuspidata (Cloud Pruned, Nikwai Tree)
Juniperus chinensis (Cloud Pruned, Nikwai Tree)
Pinus pentaphylla (Cloud Pruned, Nikwai Pine)
Trachelospermum jasminoides - Privacy Screen
Eleagnus X Ebbingei Espalier Pleached Frame Half Standard
Azalea japonica 'Eliana'
Azalea japonica 'Amoena'
Azalea japonica 'Dorothy Hayden'
Big Plant Nursery specialise in bamboo plants for the U.K. garden.
There are nearly 10,000 species of bamboo ranging from tiny dwarf species to enormous tropical ones. Luckily you needn't worry about having to choose between all of these - only a few hundred different species and varieties are happy in the UK.
All bamboos are easy to grow, from the sun-loving Phyllostachys to the shade- tolerant Fargesia. It is normally best to choose a bamboo that is suited to the size of your garden and to make sure that it is going to do what you want it to do. Most Phyllostachys bamboos prefer sunny to part-shady situations, are generally clump-forming though we do recommend root barrier and will reach between 3.5 to 6.5 metres in height depending on species.
If you need a bamboo for a shady spot then a Fargesia is ideal they are very hardy typically have dainty leaves and habit and will get to between 1.5 and 3 metres tall, again dependent on species. Having said this, Fargesia is also perfectly happy in a sunny situation. For ground cover we would recommend Pleioblastus, Sasa or Indocalamus - but choose with care because some of these will spread surprisingly quickly. The height of these varies between 1 and 2 metres.
The most important thing to remember about bamboos is that they respond very well to watering and feeding. A bamboo will require a lot of water when it is first planted to help it get established, as long as the water is allowed to drain away. Bamboos can be thirsty and will appreciate a lot of water, as long as they are not water- logged - since this can have a negative effect on them. Feeding bamboos is very simple - they respond well to most feeds, any general purpose feed is fine, but make sure you do not use tomato feed.
Bamboos can be used as specimen plants in the middle of a lawn or border. They are equally as happy as a screen to block out your nosy neighbours or an unsightly building. They can be grown very easily in a pot providing they have adequate drainage and don't dry out. Basically, bamboos can be used in any garden setting and will fit into a formal garden just as easily as a tropical garden.
Use this website to visit the wonderful world of bamboos and hopefully you will emerge feeling refreshed and certain of the bamboo or bamboos that will work best in your garden.
We have all been growing bamboos in our own gardens over the past few years and so can speak with confidence on their habits, what conditions they like, what they don't like, how big they grow and how quickly they do it.
If you do have a question you need answering that is not covered here, then please contact us or come in and see us and one of our staff will be glad to talk to you.
Our bamboos are propagated and grown by us and are therefore of better quality and constitution than those you might find in your local garden centre or DIY store. We have been growing bamboos for years, so if you have any questions, queries or doubts about which bamboo is the most suited to you and your garden , then please do not hesitate to give us a ring at the nursery and we will be more than happy to help you.
Fargesia rufa
Chinese fountain bamboo
Fargesia rufa, the Chinese Fountain Bamboo is a small to medium sized, non invasive, clump forming bamboo. Fargesia rufa has lush green leaves all year and is useful to gardeners having a dense bushy habit developing into a compact arching specimen ...
from £29.50
Fargesia scabrida 'Asian Wonder'
Fargesia scabrida 'Asian Wonder' is a beautiful clump forming bamboo from China with rusty-orange culm sheaths and reddish stems turning to green in the summer. It is an excellent bamboo for a pot, rarely reaching any more than 3.5 metres in height....
from £29.50
Phyllostachys aurea
Golden Bamboo
Phyllostachys aurea, the Golden Bamboo or Fishing Pole Bamboo, has dark green canes maturing to a golden yellow. Nice and bushy and excellent as a screen. Will reach a height of between 3.5 and 5 metres. Easy to distinguish from other bamboos by the ...
from £34.50
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'
Golden Crookstem Bamboo
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis', the Golden crookstem bamboo (so called due to its occasional kinked new growth) is a wonderfully dainty bamboo with bright gold canes and airy foliage. The emerging canes are blushed pink in strong sunlight, ...
from £24.50
Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. 'spectabilis'
Crookstem Bamboo
Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Spectabilis' the Golden Crookstem Bamboo is one of the first bamboos to shoot in the spring. Expect brilliant gold canes flushed pink in summer with vertical green stripes. Should reach 4 to 5 metres in height when planted...
from £24.50
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillonis'
Castillon Bamboo
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Castillonis' is a stunning bamboo which produces thick golden canes with regular dark green striping. This bamboo is fast growing and will soon reach around 6 metres in height, though this can be reduced by pruning. It make...
from £39.50
Phyllostachys bissettii
Bissetii Bamboo
Phyllostachys bissetii is a striking bamboo, with glossy grey-green canes. A very strong growing species that retains its dark, fresh green colour throughout the worst winter. It produces masses of leaves and can grow up to 5 metres in height. Ideal ...
from £34.50
Phyllostachys nigra
Black Bamboo
Phyllostachys nigra or the Black Bamboo has to be the most popular and best known of all bamboos. The jet black canes reach around 4 or 5 metres in height and are covered in masses of lush green dainty leaves. The best situation for the black bamboo ...
from £44.50
Pleioblastus auricomus
Golden Variegated Bamboo
Pleioblastus auricomus is a lovely dwarf golden leaved bamboo that can reach 75 centimetres in height. It can be clipped back in early spring to promote masses of lush new growth. It works particularly well as a small hedge and equally well as a spec...
from £9.99
Pleioblastus variegatus
Arundinaria Variegata
Pleioblastus variegatus is an upright bamboo, with pale green canes and narrow dark green leaves with cream stripes. It will only reach around 75 centimetres in height and is an absolutely ideal small bamboo for a pot. It can be cut back in early spr...
from £9.99
Pseudosasa japonica
Arrow Bamboo
Pseudosasa japonica, the Arrow Bamboo is a very rapid grower and is ideal for covering that trouble spot in your garden. Will wander when planted in the ground, so bamboo root barrier would be recommended. Good in a pot and does not mind being in a s...
from £44.50
Sasa palmata 'Nebulosa'
Nebulosa
Huge jungly leaved bamboo that looks like it should be more at home in Burma!. Supremely exotic but can be a bit naughty (invasive). It can easily be grown in a container where its best given lots of feed and water to keep it happy. Up to 3m tall in...
from £12.50
Sasa veitchii
Vetch's Bamboo
A low spreading Japanese dwarf bamboo with arching purple canes. Glossy dark green leaves wither at the margins of late autumn giving an attractive variegated effect, makes great ground cover for a shady area, and is a good winter feature. Height 1...
from £9.50