Hardy Tropicals UK

I want to disguise the entrance to my Jungle garden, and I thought I would make a windy-path through bamboo so that there wasn't a clear line-of-sight into the Jungle, and thus it would be a surprise when came-upon.

Doesn't have to be Bamboo, so open to other suggestions.

For Bamboo what varieties? Do I want something with nice stems - even though (once trimmed-up) they would be more open? or something with a thick canopy? or perhaps something fast-spreading?

How big (from front-entrance to back-exit into Jungle) would it need to be to accommodate a wiggly path and not be see-through?

This is the entrance currently:



Sorry, I don't have a photo stood-back from that 10-20M

I was thinking Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis on one side and Phyllostachys Vivax 'Huagwenzhu' on the other (both are variegated but in opposite colours from each other) but the Tree Ferns all ready make a gateway. So am now thinking of plain green Fargesia to screen and give that element of surprise as you have green then the colours of the jungle thicket?

Thanks, that gives me the thought to plant an "Interesting culm" variety at the front, along the edge of the winding-path, and trim it to have nice clear stems, and then a thicker variety behind. Do folk think that would work? or just go with the thicker variety?

This is what I was picturing, a large clump of Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis on one side and the Huagwenzhu on the other side - pic is from Lisbon zoo.

Blairs wrote:I was thinking Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis on one side and Phyllostachys Vivax 'Huagwenzhu' on the other

These would have been my suggestions too, but I wouldn't have one of each, I'd choose two of one variety, to give a feeling of walking through one huge plant rather than a couple of large individuals.

Other good ones to research would be Phyllostachys Spectabilis, Fargesia Robusta 'Campbell', Chusquea Gigantea.

Can I suggest a Chuaquea? They are tall with thick culms and dense foliage so you can't see through them.