Note from Bamboo Headquarters: The following is an entry from our 2007 Bamboo Garden Contest. We supplied this entry with its own post because they supplied so many great photos!

The best way to present the garden is with some before/after photos showing the dramatic growth. All seven species of bamboo were planted in the first few days of March 2007. The final photos are in the last few weeks of July (five months of growth).

Below is the planted pot of f. robusta, and p. nigra ‘henon’ on the right. You can see the f. rufa on the far left:

Same plants in July (5 months of growth):

On the opposite side (west facing wall) an interleaving pattern of p. b. Castillon, and Castillon ‘Inversa’:

Same plants in July:

Along the garage, a row of p. nigra ‘black’ was planted, along with Himalayacalamus falconeri ‘Damarapa’ flanking the fountain:

Same plants this July:

Along with the ‘Damarapa’ some Himalayacalamus Hookerianus ‘Blue’ was planted along the back north-facing wall:

Same plant this July:

Close up of ‘Damarapa’

Still waiting for the blue culms on the hookerianus… must have patience.