Recent warmth brings out the best in a beautiful bamboo...

What a treat it was to get an e-mail with a photo attached from Aaron, a customer who obtained a Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Teague's Blue Bamboo' from me in November 2011.  I have blogged on this specific variety many times. One blog post was picked up on a popular garden blog, Dirt du Jour, and well, the rest was history. Needless to say it is one of the most sought after clumping bamboos for me.

Himalayacalamus hookerianus 'Teague's Blue Bamboo' has a history, propagated by horticulturist Bill Teague in Southern California (plants were often given to friends), this ornamental bamboo gets about 20 feet tall and not only has shades of blue in the culm, but also carries deep reds, purples, vibrant greens, and I'm expecting a new color... any day now.  It's one of those plants that makes you say - 'wow!'

In Sacramento, it needs to be in a spot that gets afternoon shade. Other than that, its a good performer and puts quite the show in the garden.

So without further adieu, here is what Aaron sent me....

So for comparison, to show of the variety of colors this bamboo plant offers, here is the photo that the good people at Dirt du Jour shared with the world last year..

Believe it or not... same plant.   Ladies and gentleman... 'Teague's Blue Bamboo', not much else to say, it speaks for itself.  Aaron's photos emphasized why this is my favorite bamboo.

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
www.madmanbamboo.com
(916) 300-6335
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Warm days are nice.... but is this February? My plants are confused!

It was pure heaven today... sunny 70's in a unusually mild winter day that acted like early April.  Of course, I took advantage of the nice weather and strolled around, finding hints of life on my bamboo plants.  Not sure if I should be shouting in the streets - "Spring is finally here!" or be afraid, very afraid that a usual hard winter freeze will undo all the early beauty.  Thinking positive, I just had to go with the former.

I really don't like winter - its the time of year that gardeners get the least visual joy and you see some of your favorite plants, either die off completely or just look like hell.  So - I just went with it.  Here are some of the sights I saw in the yard today...

On my Hibamnobambusa tranquillans 'Shiroshima', a new branchlet and leaves are emerging, brought on by the warm weather.

This is a new branchlet emerging from a Bambusa oldhamii 'Giant Clumping Bamboo'.  The new culms have the culm sheath (tan) that protect the nodes and the branchlet is so plump, it it cracking the culm sheath.

Hopefully, this weather will carry on to the true Spring, but of course some precipitation would be good to go along with that.  So, enjoy the warm sunny days while they last!

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
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Attention plant fanatics! Don't miss us at the March 31, 2012 Plant Sale in Sacramento, California

OK, all you plant fanatics (like me) out there - I love plant sales and I wish there were more held in the Sacramento area, darn it!  But, I am super excited to announce that we have been invited to participate in the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club's Annual Plant Sale. This is a great event that we have participated in in the past (pictured above was us at that last sale) with multiple plant vendors including succulents, vegetable starts, trees, flowers, garden art and of course - bamboo!

You know its a good plant sale when you end up spending half your profits on more plants.

Don't miss it! It's free to get in and its worth stopping by.

Here are the details:

When: Saturday, March 31, 2012; 9 am to 4 pm.

Where: Shepard Arts and Garden Center at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95816
(McKinley Park) [Map]

Who: Hosted for the public by the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club.

See you there!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
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Another Bamboo 'How-To': How to tell when your bamboo plant needs to be watered...

After years of caring for bamboo plants, you get to know its particular behavior as it deals with extreme environmental conditions.  Bamboo offers a tell-tale sign when it needs a basic element - water.  In this Bamboo 'How-To', we show the sign of when watering is needed, what you need to to do deal with the situation immediately, and some extra care you can provide your water-starved bamboo plant.

Cheers!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
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Video blogging - experiences in the garden, on camera.

So, armed with my handy iPhone, I set out to finish editing and publishing my first try at video blogging.  I am trying in earnest to brand the video blog as 'Bamboo How-To's.'  Definitely learned a few things along the way.  A couple of tips for those gardeners out there trying to impart their garden knowledge to the world using video as the media:

1.  Got to have the right equipment and a fair amount of patience.  A good video camera or smart phone and good editing software is key.  My weapon of choice...  an iPhone and iMovie (a program that is installed on most Macs).  It was bit like riding a bike, lots of trial and error, but eventually got it.

2.  Try to act natural.  Couldn't help to feel like I was a bit stiff on camera.  Weird when your even nervous to be on camera and your the only one there.  Lots of tongue twisting retakes, but eventually got the right shots to make a short informational video that made sense (I hope).

3.  Gardening and making movies may not mix.  We all know gardening is dirty work.  How do you get footage without accidentally shoveling dirt on your camera phone or step on it when you get lost in the act of gardening, truly a relaxing experience for us green thumbs.  Luckily my iPhone survived the journey.

4.  Get creative and use some humor.  I tried to infuse some humor by incorporating the hard gardening reality living in Rocklin.  Digging holes sucks when the ground is filled with river rock.  I made the most of it and showed the angst of gardening in Rocklin, California, where the city's name is no mere coincidence.

Well, I am making a commitment to do at least three or four videos this year, maybe more.  We shall see...

If you want to see more videos in the future, subscribe to our video feed by clicking to our YouTube Channel.

So without further adieu, here is my first Bamboo 'How-To' video now on YouTube.  Enjoy!

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
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