After shock

Not through an earthquake, landslide, tsunami or solar flare but the aftershock of the garden after the snow and ice have receded. I am still not absolutely sure of the amount of plants that have been lost due to the double minus figures of hot knife to butter-cutting frosts that permeated the depths of the top soil. I probably will have to wait until Spring is well under way before reaching for the garden fork to pull up the dead stock.

The one plant that has surprised me is one that doesn’t originate from this part of the world. It is already thick and green and calling for the year to unfold before it. It is my bamboo. What a lovely surprise it brings to the garden with its bright green leaves shaped like spears and pointing in all directions with increasing enthusiasm.

I remember years ago after being enthralled with tales from Toby Twirl and the excitement of China, reading about the uses of bamboo from the wrist-wide to the very narrowest of drinking-straw stems. At the time, I had no idea that there were so many different varieties. Then on a trip to Devon, near to some water it stood growing wild, thick and tall and I was drew to it.

Many years later I purchased a small pot of bamboo. Naively, I assumed that as the plant matured the stems would increase in width size but of course, they do not. My plant is now well established and produces the finest of bamboo canes. I am still left wondering about the shoots … and need to read up to find whether all bamboo is edible …

 

 

Bamboo