Photos of Giant Timber (Bambusa oldhamii)

While rowing in the lake, I took a couple pictures of some mature Oldhamii's along the shore.  The best way to really appreciate the tall, elegant profile of Giant Timber, it is view it from a distance.

 

and below a close up shot of the same bamboo..

Notice how straight, Giant Timber (Oldhamii) grows.  This bamboo is 8 years old but it has looked very much the same for the past 5 years. It normally takes about 3 years for a bamboo to mature.  After that the culms continue to increase in diameter and grow taller but most of the dramatic growth occurs in the early years when cane height and culm diameter more than doubles in size over a relatively short period of time.

Below are two pictures of young Oldhamii shoots emerging around existing canes from previous years.  Like all clumping bamboos, Oldhamii begins sending up new shoots in late spring when the weather warms and continues shooting throughout the summer and into the fall. 

 

 

 

  

Below is an example of two 7-gal Oldhamiis - tall plants in our nursery with 1-3 canes each. 

 

Our son Toby stands inside a large clump of Giant Timber.  Toby is now much bigger and the bamboo is too!

Below is a line of 15-gal plants in our nursery.  The 15-gal plants are much taller and fuller than those in the 7-gal containers because they can support larger root systems.  In all bamboos it is the size of the root system that determines not only how many canes are produced each year but also their height and diameter.

Below, a sandhill crane struts past a mature stand of Oldhamii bamboo.

Photos of our own Homegrown Bamboo Poles

 Our own homegrown poles are not as straight as either the imported or designer quality polished poles.but they still work well for a variety of projects.  Below is a photo of the fence on both sides of our entry gate.  It is built out of a number of random diameter poles that were purposely cut at different heights to create a more informal look.

 

A close up, below, of one section of the entry fence.

 

An arbor built out of small (1" or less) diameter homegrown bamboo poles.

A simple fence, below, borders a flower garden with a bamboo bird feeder.

Below is a trade show display made out of our homegrown bamboo.

Another trade show booth used some of our freshly cut, green bamboo poles to create a more natural look.

Below is an orchid planter made from a short piece of our homegrown bamboo.

Photos of Black Bamboo Poles

Black bamboo poles tend to run slightly smaller than their named diameters.  Shown above are several 1.75" diameter poles and although the one being measured runs true to size, some of the other poles appear to have  somewhat smaller diameters.

We stock black poles in two lengths - 8' and 10' but longer poles are available by special order.

Photos of Imported Bamboo Half-round Poles

Half-round poles make excellent trim for both outdoor use (above) and indoor (below) applications.

Below, an entire interior wall is faced with half-round bamboo.

Below are a few samples of birdhouses, bird feeders and even a windowbox made out of bamboo half-rounds and imported bamboo poles.

Robbie Taylor, who built many of the bamboo structures at Beautiful Bamboo, adds some finishing touches to the door to the Art Gallery at our nursery.

Photos of Designer Quality Polished Bamboo Poles

These honey-colored domestic-grown bamboo poles are available in four sizes.  The sizes (from the left) are: 2" diameter, 2.5" diameter, 3" diameter and 4"-6" diameter.  As can be seen in the above photo, the culm section at the base of the larger size poles are spaced very close together but the farther up the pole you look (see picture below), the wider apart the culm sections become.  A 10' long pole with a 6" diameter base may

only be 5 inches or less at the top.

 The photo below shows the beginning stage of a bamboo gazebo. The upright posts are Designer Quality Polished Bamboo Poles while the roof rafters and cross pieces are made out of Imported Bamboo Poles.

 

Photos of Imported Bamboo Poles

An end view of 3" diameter x 10' long Imported Bamboo Poles.  As you can see in the photos, there is considerable variation in both the diameters and the thickness of the bamboo walls.

There's also a certain amount of variation in the color of all bamboo canes.  In the Imported Bamboo, the canes tend to be shades of tan.  On the left is the 1.25" x 6' pole followed by a 1.5" x 10, a 2" x 10 and a 3" x 10 pole. 

 

 Above is another view of our imported bamboo poles beginning (from the left) with 

1.25" x 6', 1.50" x 10', 2" x 10', 3" x 10', 4" x 10', 5" x 10' and 6" x 10'.

While the four smaller diameter poles are a rice-colored shade of tan, the three largest sizes might more accurately be described as an amber-brown color due to the heat treating process and the particular variety of bamboo.  No matter what diameter pole you purchase, it is important to understand that all bamboos taper somewhat from base to top.  For more accurate size information, click on our BAMBOO SIZE CHART.

   

 

  Building a wedding arbor or "chuppah" is a popular use of Imported Bamboo poles.

 Popular items to complete the wedding arbor are bamboo hearts.  

 

 

Made out of slender tan-colored canes that have been heated, bent and fastened into a heart shape, the addition of bamboo hearts to a wedding arbor (or to any other application) is a simple, natural way to express love.

Photos of Reed Fencing

Reed Fencing provides a lightweight, inexpensive means to transform an area from a blah to beautiful. The roll comes in 6' tall x 15' lengths.  The pencil-thin reeds are woven together with wire and are easily cut to with a scissor.  The Reed Fencing works well for both indoor and outdoor projects.

Below are a few pictures of outdoor setting in which Reed Fencing has been used.

A customer covered a chain link fence with Reed Fencing before planting a hedge of clumping bamboo in order to form an immediate privacy screen with a tropical look.  One year later, the Reed Fencing is almost completely hidden behind the live plants.

Here at Beautiful Bamboo, the double doors on our barn are faced with Reed Fencing.

Below shows the same door two years later after the fencing has weathered a beautiful silver gray (and a clump of Angel Mist bamboo has grown in the space between the barn doors and the entrance to the art gallery).

 

Here are samples of some indoor applications.

Reed Fencing used to provide a tropical look to a spa room as seen from the outside (above) as well as from the inside (below). 

 And the same room from a different angle.

Below:

The interior walls of the Art Gallery at Beautiful Bamboo are covered with Reed Fencing and trimmed with half-rounds of imported bamboo poles.

 

 

Two different sizes of Bamboo Fencing

On the left, 4' tall x 8' long Bamboo Fencing.

On the right, 6' tall x 8' long Bamboo Fencing.

Both fences are made from 3/8" to 1/2" diameter pieces of bamboo woven together with coated wire.  The fencing can be cut into shorter lengths and heights or used as is to form attractive walls for both inside and outside use.

In the above photo, a customer used the 6' long Bamboo Fencing to provide filtered shade in a pergola.  Below is a closeup view of a roofing section.

Photos of Split Bamboo Fencing

Here's a close up look at both sides of the 6' tall x 12' long Split Bamboo Fencing. On the left, is the "back" of the fencing and on the right side of the picture you can see the fence's "front" side. Below are two longer views of the same roll of fencing.

Photos of Hawaiian Gold Timber Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris vittata)

Jenny stands next to a mature stand of Hawaiian Gold

New shoots emerge from the ground the same diameter that they will be when mature.  No matter what size cane emerges, it will grow to its full height in less than two months.  That's fast enough to measure the growth day-by-day