... soil it's been a massive learning curve but I've enjoyed it so far I've put in an evergreen backbone to the garden ie cordylines trachys fatsia bamboo laurels etc then hardy perennials hostas day lillies ferns gunnera euphorbia most of these I already had and then divided them to get dozens ...

Welcome. Good hardy plants to give you a backbone and an evergreen one at that are Trachycarpus, bamboo (avoid Sasa and none clump forming varieties), fatsia, phormium and ground ferns. Many other less hardy plants will survive with some protection in an average UK winter ...

Yes I have one that surived this winter (it was slow to start this year than most though)It was wrapped up in fleece then a bamboo tripod over ,over which a fleece jacket was placed(allows ventilation). A plastic bag at the top of the fleece jacket to prevent rain/snow entry . They are ...

... a hell of a time to wipe them all and squish as many as you can so its quite depressing to come out a day later and see they have respawned EEEK bamboo affected! Yeah... at first it was my fatasia then i looked around and it was like the viel had been lifted, billions of them all over the leaves, ...

EEEK bamboo affected! You wouldn't expect that. My bamboo seems ok, but my garden is full of the damned things, and for the first time, they are on plants they'd never normally touch. I've certainly never seen them on my banana ...

... enough but the only thing that did work was a heinous dousing of Bug Clear Ultra. I mean they were ALL over my Fatsia japonicas and millions on my bamboo. Within two days they were gone and ive not seen them since! For £4 it was well worth it.

... are allowed to clamber over palms and bamboos :oops: But I love the evergreen shapes of the palms all winter when they have been cleared and the Bamboo gives height quickly but doesn't keep going up like a tree would

Nice pictures Charlie! I particularly like the yellow bamboo and I hope to be adding one to the garden here next year or later this year. BTW I look forward to seeing you again at the Kingston Bagpuize plant fair this Sunday. I’d like a climber for ...

... https://farm1.staticflickr.com/783/40207414884_b23141e160_c.jpg GN153790 by charliepridham , on Flickr I still regret having to get rid of this Bamboo https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4782/27045164048_4d2dbccc15_c.jpg GN153776 by charliepridham , on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4778/27045162698_ec0e2c8495_c.jpg ...

Thanks Adam. Do you think it is possible to somehow remove the culms down to the rhizome and allow the established system underneath to remain and put up new culms? I'm a little worried about coring out the entire centre and taking the rhizomes and roots wholesale. Appreciate in time the mature oute...

Cut it in half and cut out the 'dead' middle.

I have had to 'core' one or two of my Miscanthus as they have done effectively the same.

Another bamboo question I'm afraid! :lol: I have just had a real hack at another Fargesia clump that I bought. It is several years old and had clearly never been thinned at all. As a result, it was jam-packed with short or loads ...

Del, I've got load of fargesia Campbell, if you can wait a little while I will be separating some grove's, you can have at the right money .

Sounds perfect for me, added to my ever increasing wants list.

... the thin canes, and any that look weak - it will help more new thicker, stronger culms shoot from the ground, but temporarily it thins out the bamboo for different looks. As demonstrated here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHkAcGufrK8