Talking bamboo with the 'Four Seasons Garden Club of Rocklin & Roseville'

Had the pleasure today of 'talking bamboo' with the 'Four Seasons Garden Club of Rocklin & Roseville'.  Gave them the basic on running versus clumping and showed them some of the most unique bamboo in my collection like 'Teague's Blue Bamboo', 'Chinese Walking Stick Bamboo' and others.

We also walked through our bamboo garden through our small 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' grove and looked at other full grown clumping specimens in the ground like 'Buddha's Belly Bamboo' among several others.  Pictured is me with the members of the Four Seasons Garden Club that attended today's bamboo talk and tour.  Overall, had a great time.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

As Summer 2011 fades into memory: Road Trip, Part III: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

I thought it was quite suiting to end the final days of Summer 2011 with my last blog post of the season on my Summer 2011 family vacation.  So, to re-cap we started in San Francisco and stayed for two days, dropped by Santa Cruz for a couple of hours on the way to the final three days in Carmel.

Carmel is situated on the central California coast just south of Monterey.  The Carmel of today is well known for its unique downtown filled with upscale restaurants and a thriving art scene.  Lots of conspicuous wealth, but I am struck by its unique architecture that heralds back to Carmel's bohemian beginnings.  With the 1905 founding of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Carmel saw in influx of writers, poets, actors and artists looking for new roots.  Jack London wrote about the 'artists colony' in Carmel in his book, Valley of the Moon.  Carmel was frequented by the likes of Upton Sinclair and Sinclair Lewis among other famous painters, poets and actors.  This bohemian culture stands the test of time today in Carmel and is a unique destination in California.

Carmel also has what I feel is one of the top five beaches in California - number one in my book.  Bleach white sands that are immaculately clean and soft to the touch.

So, after a hectic, but fun stay in San Francisco, the calm, leisurely pace of Carmel was very welcome.  Here are some of the sights we experience during the three days we were there:

A really nice use of bamboo coupled with flowers.  No idea what variety this is.

A Magnum P.I. Convention in Carmel?  Maybe not.  Or maybe it was a gathering of a club of Ferrari enthusiasts. Which it was. Couldn't resist snapping a photo of five Ferrari's parked in a row, not a sight you see everyday...

Beautiful bamboo that contrasts nicely against the Spanish-walls.

How could you not walk down this alley way...

...when it looks like this. Be still my little Bamboo Geek heart!

Unique Carmel architecture.

A nice place to rest after all that walking.  In the middle of the planting is Plieoblastus viridistriatus 'Dwarf Greenstripe', a short, vibrant running bamboo.

A Monterey Pine against the afternoon sun.

Our vacation home...

...in my dreams!  This is where we stayed and we loved it!

Farewell Summer 2011!  Welcome Fall....

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

The little bamboo shoots that could...

It happens every year around this time.  Bamboo Geek anxiety.  Generally speaking, clumping bamboo shoots in late summer and keeps shooting until temperatures really cool down around mid-November (in California).  Some shoots emerge in July and shoot vigorously, reaching full height and make it through the Winter freezes in Sacramento. Still bare all winter, they finally produce leaves when temperatures rise again in May.

Others, the slow pokey culms, will freeze off their exposed tops and flop over; or get sheared off by high Winter winds... what a bummer that is to see in the middle of Winter.

Hopes for that giant, tallest-ever culm - dashed, for at least one more year.

So, today, I walked nervously in the garden looking at one of my Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' that has new culms larger than my arm shooting, but still quite tender and short.  Will it make it over the Winter?  Will I be amazed by its resilience or disappointed by its defeat by cold, Old Man Winter?

My Bambusa textilis 'Weaver's Bamboo' showing tall, pretty well developed culms.  These are likely to make it over the Winter.

A shoot from my Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' showing some promise.  This was one of the culms that began shooting in July.  Others, larger than this one, I'm not so sure.  Still tender and susceptible to damage by the Winter.

Keeping my fingers crossed... just have to think positive and hope for a mild, bamboo-friendly Winter.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

A gem in a 'Mad Man's' bamboo collection... 'Striped Young.'

The thing that got me started was one bamboo plant I bought at a nursery about 12 years ago.... Bambusa multiplex 'Golden Goddess."  Once it started shooting, I was hooked, hooked in a big way.

So, over the years, I have amassed a collection of about 120 different types of running and clumping bamboo, stashed here and there, in my larger (not huge) Rocklin suburban lot.  Most of the clumpers are planted in the ground and the runners, without exception are safely growing in containers.

It's funny, when you have so many, it's easy to get caught up in the spectacular colors or that giant culm rocketing up 20 feet in the midst of the Summer heat.

Here is a discovery I made of a clumping bamboo that is tucked to the side of my lawn.  Bambusa multiplex 'Striped Young'.  Given to me by a friend (someone I look up to in the "bamboo world", a mentor and a friend) about four years ago, this rare clumping bamboo is showing off its colors in a big way this summer.  Must love the Sacramento climate....

Subtle beauty with its contrasting white and green striped culms.

Nothing else quite like this bamboo.  A gem in my bamboo collection.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

Notes from a radio interview: Top seven clumping bamboo varieties to create a perfect privacy screen...

Had a great time today talking with Farmer Fred Hoffman on his 'Get Growing' gardening radio show on 650 AM KSTE.  The podcasted show can be heard here - Listen (9/18/11 broadcasts).

So, in preparation for the radio interview I transferred my top seven varieties of clumping bamboo that are perfect for creating a privacy hedge from my brain on to paper.  There is alot rolling up there in my 'noggin', so getting it on paper helped get my thoughts organized, but then I realized - 'I should share this with my blog readers!' Keep in mind, this is for the Sacramento area/Bay area climates.

So, without further adieu, here are the notes:

1. Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' - Expect growth in the 30 to 35 foot range, perfect if you want that tropical feel and/or by a poolside.  Takes full sun, clumping (non-invasive) and has big beautiful timber-like poles.

2. and 3.  Bambusa ventricosa 'Buddha's Belly Green' and 'Buddha's Belly Kimmei' (pictured).  Belly like growth invoked by less water and/or constrained growing (like in a container).  Dense hedge.  Height can vary on conditions (water) from 15 feet up to 35 feet.

4.  Bambusa textilis 'Weavers' Bamboo' - 30 feet tall, very vertical and upright.  Dark green and dense above a fenceline.

5. Bambusa tuldoides 'Punting Pole Bamboo' - 35 feet, very similar in size and look to 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' except leaves are smaller, tight 'V' not as vertical as 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo.'

6. and 7. Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr' (pictured) and 'Hedge Bamboo' - 15 to 20 feet tall, dense tight 'V' shaped.  'Alphonse Karr' is yellow with green stripes, with some red with sun exposure.  'Hedge Bamboo' is all green but grows identical in form to 'Alphonse Karr.'

The 'Spectacular Seven' are perfect for our Sacramento/Bay Area climates, are clumping, and can take full sun.  No more nosy neighbors once these form a privacy hedge in about 2 to 3 years.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

Beautiful bamboo makes my heart go 'pitter-patter!'

Loving my combined hedge of Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' (with larger leaves) and Bambusa tuldoides 'Punting Pole' (smaller leaves).  Both of these are clumping varieties, max out at 35 feet tall and love the heat of Sacramento.  With the cool down in temperatures this week, they are looking quite nice.  Not sure if it is the muted light from the overhead clouds, but man, this makes my little bamboo heart go 'pitter-patter!"

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twitter: @madmanbamboo

Pesky two story houses looking into your yard? Be gone with bamboo...

Have a two story house looking down into your backyard? Want a lush, green tall screen to give you privacy? Bambusa oldhamii "Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' is the solution. Clumping (non-invasive) to about 30 feet tall in the Sacramento region, its a beautiful bamboo that serves a function. 

Planted strategically in front of a neighbor's two story window (or two or three), it is the perfect way to create privacy.  This variety does very well in the Sacramento area due to our heat, it have nice big tropical-looking leaves that soak up the heat.

Below is a picture of a new culm, about the size of my arm rising from the ground, I took today meandering through my garden.

Cheers!

Sean

Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin,  CA

(916) 300-6335

www.madmanbamboo.com

Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook

Twitter: @madmanbamboo

Soaking up the sun... Sacramento style.

Today was one of those dreaded Sacramento days weather-wise.  It is that time of year where we see extreme weather, Sacramento-style.  Hot... very hot.  topped 100 degrees in Rocklin.  Now, I must say this has been mild for a Sacramento Summer and I feel a bit guilty, as it's nothing like a humid Summer in the Midwest or back East.

So, I did have a bit of a bight spot in the midst of the toasty temperatures.  My Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Timber Bamboo' is soaking up the sun.  Literally.  This clumping non-invasive variety seems to suited for our climate.  The leaves seem to enlarge and green with the hot temperatures.  This bamboo seems to be built for the Sacramento area.  Tropical looking, it makes a perfect bamboo to screen the typical Sacramento area yard from that two-story house, perfect for a pool side with its thick tropical looking culms.

Here are some photos I took today, braving the heat, these make me truly appreciate this bamboo:

New culms are coming up, responding to the warm temperatures.

Looking straight up, love the big, dark green leaves.  The intense Sacramento sun seems to bring the best out in this bamboo plant.

Stay cool!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
Mad Man Bamboo on Facebook
Twittter: @madmanbamboo