Foster and Gisborne this weekend

Christmas is very quickly approaching. Getting gift ideas is sometimes just as hard as getting the
actual gifts. So here are a few ideas brought to you by Bamboo Creations Victoria.  Socks and Undies are the traditional gifts that people normal think are boring but just imagine our high quality bamboo socks in your Christmas stocking. Once your loved ones put on these socks, they will really thank you for them.

Another gift idea is bamboo.  You can either get the big ones for the garden (previous blog post talks about Gracilis Bamboo - have a read) or the little cute ones.  The little bamboo is called Lucky Bamboo  and comes in different sizes and styles.  We also have a special on now for some of our statues that will complement your garden and your bamboo. We have many other bamboo and gardening related product so give us a call and we can discuss your ideas or requirements.

Like any of our products, if you purchase over the phone then we can bring them to one of our many markets free of postage.  Speaking about our markets, we are at both Foster and Gisborne this weekend.  The nursery will be open this Saturday so come and say Hi (no appointment necessary). However, this Sunday will be by appointment only due to our events.  For more details about all the events that we attend, check out our website www.bamboo-plants.com.au

Gracilis Bamboo

Gracilis Bamboo from Bamboo Creations Victoria

Gracilis is one of our most popular bamboo. The reason is that it is such a beautiful and versatile bamboo. It has a nice tight tidy clump, beautiful 6cm green culms and will reach a good height of about 6 to 8m. The resulting height will depend on where you are situated and the condition of the soil you will be planting it in. 

We have Gracilis in 25cm pots on sale while stocks lasts (even our frog on our website homepage knows about this). This size Gracilis will give you good coverage in less than 12 months depending on your planting condition. Want to know more then give us a call on 1300 654 454. Normal retail is $120.00ea but our sale price is $96.00ea (thats 20% off !!). 

More details about our Gracilis Bamboo: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/slender-weaver-bamboo.php

Two new bamboo products on our site

We have been busy creating new products on our website.  The first is our high quality invisisocks designed to be worn with open topped shoes. The second product is Men's briefs.  All have the anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties that come with our bamboo products.

Bamboo Invisisocks

The bamboo invisisocks come in 2 different colours and 2 different styles.  You can get either half or quarter styles and either black or white. All types come in a 2 pack so you will always have one available when you need them the most. Visit our invisisocks page: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/bamboo-invisisocks.php

Men's Briefs

The Men's briefs have 7 different colours to choose from (Black, Bright Blue, Burnt Red, Lime, Mid Blue, Olive and Slate).  These come in different sizes with a size chart on our briefs webpage: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/mens-bamboo-briefs.php

We are always adding new products and pages to our site which we will tell you about through this blog.  

Our next market is Berwick this Sunday so come and say Hi.

Melbourne Cup long weekend

Bamboo Creations attending Gisborne and Foster

A big weekend is coming up.  We have 2 different markets so we will be able to speak with twice as many people about this wonderful plant - Bamboo.  On Sunday we are at our local Gisborne Market and we are also traveling down the coast to Foster.

The Foster market is held at the Foster Showgrounds and runs from 8am until 2pm. Foster is a lovely drive down the South Gippsland Hwy, past beautiful ocean views and is close to Wilsons Prom.  This market has over 200 stalls that sell home produce, arts and crafts and beautiful plants.

The Gisborne market is held at along the service roads of Hamilton and Aitken streets and on Howey Reserve from 9am - 2pm. While visiting Bamboo Creations enjoy the 250 other stalls from delicious food to other products for your home, kids and pets.

We have also tried to make it easier for people to visit our Nursery.  We have altered our website to move the Opening Hours further up the page to make it easier to see.  Due to the many markets and other events that we attend, the opening hours may change from time to time. We try and cater for all our customers but things do change.  Keep an eye on our page to see all the events that we are attending and also the Nursery Hours.

Murrumbateman this weekend

Murrumbateman Field Days

The bamboo van is being packed with lots of Bamboo related products and heading for Canberra. The Murrumbateman Field Days event in on over this weekend (17th and 18th October). Murrumbateman is just out of Canberra on the Barton Hwy.

This event started in 1979 and has been growing every year since.  The event now has over 400 exhibitors so there should be something for everyone.

Bamboo Creations Victoria will be showing their versatility as they will be taking several kinds of deciduous trees.  The picture above shows a couple maples at a previous exhibition.  We like to show and stock other types of plants that complement Bamboo. 

Nepalese Blue Bamboo

Spring is upon us so now is a good time to plant bamboo but remember to keep it moist and fed.  In addition to the deciduous trees, we will be taking to Murrumbateman Nepalese Blue bamboo. Nepalese Blue bamboo has blue grey tinted culms with fine long narrow soft leaves. Ideal for small gardens, or as a ornamental screen. This bamboo has a maximum height of about 4 metres and is a clumping type of bamboo.  For more information please visit our Nepalese Blue Bamboo page: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/nepalese-blue-bamboo.php

Horticultural and Garden Festival this weekend

Bamboo Creations at the Horticultural & Garden Festival

The huge 3 day Horticultural and Garden Festival is on this weekend at the Melbourne Showgrounds. It is running from 10am to 5pm on Fri and Sat and 10am to 4pm on Sun. The focus of this festival is Growing, Gardening and Cooking.

Bamboo Creations Victoria will be at this event showing the power of Bamboo.  This is such a versatile plant with many uses from screening out neighbouring buildings to creating a living green fence.  This is different from other screening plants due to the speed in which it grows. Within a couple of years it can grow to a point of providing privacy.  Take for example GRACILIS This is a very popular bamboo and can reach a maximum height of about 8 metres. It is a clumping type of bamboo that can be used as a wind or privacy screen.  It can even be trimmed into a fantastic green hedge.  We have seen this plant used in many different ways. Have a look at our photo gallery on our website to see how other people have used Gracilis and other types of Bamboo: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-photo-gallery.php

The festival has many different exhibitors and a schedule of speakers.  The speakers will be speaking on many different topics.  A very special talk will be taking place at 3:30 on Friday as Garry from Bamboo Creations Victoria will be talking - "Bamboo in the landscape and its many uses".

We will bringing our van full of different types of bamboo and other bamboo related products. Come along and say G'Day.

Gracilis, Alphonse Karr and many more going to Mt Macedon

Gracilis and Alphonse Karr being featured at Mt Macedon

We will be setting up this week for a wonderful weekend at Mt Macedon. The annual Plant Lovers Market and Open Garden is on this weekend.  It is so big that it will be open all weekend (over both the Sat 19th and Sun 20th).  The event is held at Bolobek, the historic working cattle property renowned for its magnificent garden.  Bolobek and the Plant Lovers Market is found at 370 Mt Macedon Road, Mt Macedon, Victoria , 3441.  It will be running from 10am - 4pm each day so make sure you drop by and say Hello.

We will be taking many different varieties of bamboo and many other different bamboo products to the Mt Macedon Plant Lovers market this weekend (Sat 19th and 20th Sep).  A couple of beautiful bamboo being featured this weekend is Gracilis and Alphonse Karr Bamboo.

Gracilis
Gracilis is a great screening plant that can block out neighboring buildings.  Its fast growing nature means that you will have a green living screen in no time at all.  In the right conditions this bamboo has a maximum height of about 8 metres so can block a 2 storey building. It is a clumping type of bamboo that can withstand cold and hot temperatures so is perfect for the Victorian climate.  For more information visit our Gracilis webpage: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/slender-weaver-bamboo.php

Alphonse Karr
Alphonse Karr bamboo is another great screening clumping type of bamboo.  This has a maximum height of about 4 metres that looks great as a stand alone ornament plant or can be used as a hedging plant. For more information on Alphonse Karr bamboo then check out our Alphonse Karr  information page: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/alphonse-karr-bamboo.php

Yes we are heading to Murrumbateman

Bamboo Creations are going to Murrumbateman

Very exciting news. We had originally removed Murrumbateman from our list of markets and expos.  Due to popular demand we have now decided to attend this excellent event.  We will now be taking our van full of bamboo products up to Canberra.

The Murrumbateman field days event is run over 2 days from the 17th to the 18th of October 2015.  It runs from 8am to 5pm on the Saturday and 8am to 4pm on the Sunday so you will have plenty of time to see it all especially us at Bamboo Creations Victoria.

Murrumbateman is about 30 minutes out of Canberra. Our website has a link to the Murrumbateman event for more information (www.bamboo-plants.com.au/our-markets-and-expos.php#murrumbateman) including details on how to get there.

This is a huge event which is why it is held over 2 days.  There are over 400 exhibitors (including us) and it raises a lot of money for the local community.  Come along and say Hi.

Alphonse Karr

Knowing how your bamboo was propagated.

Be sure you are buying healthy propagated mother stock for true to form bamboo.

Alphonse Karr is a clumping varieties and it is one of the many favourite bamboos. because of its rapid growth, it's beautiful new culms that come out pinkish then turn lemon yellow with green stripes with emerald leaves Perfect for a hedge, Full sun, Frost tolerant, At full height it will get to 4 m high Can be trimmed to any height or thin out by removing canes and bottom leaves so that you can see the beautiful colour canes. Growing habits vase shape.

See shots below from locally grown propagated stock and Alphonse growing nicely in Riddells Creek Victoria  

Alphonse Karr Cutting by Bamboo Creations Nursery 

 Alphonse Karr,

Alphonse Karr June 2012 

Alphonse Karr, Aug 2011

Alphonse Karr, Aug 2011

Alphonse Karr Dec 2007

Alphonse Karr, Aug 2011

Alphonse Karr, May 2008

Big events coming up

Bamboo Creations attending major events

We are getting ready for a couple of big events that are coming up over the next few months.  We will give you more details later but this is just a reminder to put these dates into your calendars.

Mt Macedon

The Mt Macedon plant lovers market is running on the 20th and 21st of September.  This market is held in Mt Macedon at the historic Bolobek and is hosted by the Mt Macedon and District Horticultural Society. The beautiful gardens of the historic homestead are reason enough to visit the market.  You then have many different plant growers and sellers including Bamboo Creations Victoria so the visit to Mt Macedon is a must for every Plant Lover.

Horticultural and Garden Festival

This is a 3 day event (9th - 11th October) held at the Melbourne Showgrounds. The main focus of this event is on Growing, Gardening and Cooking.  There will be many different plant growers and retailers as well as many different speakers and exhibitors.  Another great event to put in your diary.  Will give more details about this one and the Mt Macedon market in coming blog posts.

New Colours for some of our socks

We are always updating our online socks store with new products.  We have recently updated the colours of our business socks and our women's singlets.  Have a look at the exciting new colours available.  We will be reviewing the other products shortly and will have them available for you soon.

New photo gallery category

Frog enjoying our Bamboo at our Nursery

It has been a little while since we last blogged but a lot has been happening.  We have included another photo gallery sub category to show you all the different types of bamboo at our nursery.  This will be added to with lots of different types of bamboo that we stock so keep your eye on this page.  Here is a link to our photo gallery to start you off: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-photo-gallery.php.

Bamboo Clothing  

In addition to working on the photo gallery we have been working to add bamboo clothing to our site.  These are all made from high quality bamboo. At this stage we have added a few bamboo tops from warm and snuggly thermal tops (great for this time of year) to long sleeve ruched or scoop neck tops.

Bamboo clothing now on Bamboo Creations website

We will be adding more over the next little while including pants, dresses and other high quality bamboo items. These items can be purchased through our online shopping car.  The best thing about purchasing our items through the shopping cart is the postage.  We are now only charging $6 no matter how many items you purchase.  Have your items delivered to your door for only $6.

Markets and Expos

We have added the latest markets and expos to the left hand side so you can plan when to come and visit us.  There are a couple of special events coming up which we will tell you about soon.

Bamboo Clothing has started on our Website

Bamboo Clothing now available

Bamboo Clothing - Knitwear

We have now altered our website to include bamboo clothing in the online store.  At this stage we only have bamboo knitwear - duster jackets but more are on the way very shortly.

The Bamboo Duster Jacket is a essential light layering piece with an open front, shawl collar, long sleeves and a gently tapered waist to give more shape.  This is made from 95% Bamboo, 3% Cashmere and 2% Wool.

To allow for all the new products that are on the way, we have changed the navigation for our website.  There is now an option called products which will list all the different products that are available.  This will therefore grow over the coming weeks so keep your eye on our site. (Note if your do not see this correctly then try and refresh your webpage using the curly arrow on your address bar at the top of the screen).


Next Market

Our next market that we are attending is at Berwick on the 28th June so would love to see you there.
 

Pruning Bamboo

Pruning Bamboo

Winter is the best time to prune your bamboo.  Be careful, however, not to prune your bamboo until it has become more established. It generally takes about 3 to 5 growing seasons for it to become established.  The time it takes for your bamboo to become established will depend on several factors: planted area, species, climate, water or moisture, sunlight, soil and nutrients.

Pruning your bamboo will help its overall health. The health of your plant will be improved by preventing overpopulation of canes and the removal of older canes that have reached the end of their life cycle. Canes can last for about 8 years so removing the older canes will create more room for new growth. 

Bamboo can be sculptured or hedged to any height.  Once the plant has reached the desired height then prune the tops off.  This can be achieved by either carefully pulling the canes down or by using a tool like a brush-cutter.

Preaching bamboo is a technique of lining up your plants and then removing the bottom leaves. This gives a bare look at the bottom of the plant with a full bushy look at the top.   This looks stunning as an ornamental feature to your garden. You can remove the leaves to any height to give whatever look you desire.

Pruning can be achieved using Pruning Shears, Hand/Garden saw or Reciprocating Saw.

Bamboo in Pots

Bamboo can be grown in pots as well as in the ground. They can make great ornaments for a balcony or courtyard without the need to have a garden bed. People have also used planter boxes to create a bamboo screen.

Choosing the right pot for your bamboo is just as important as choosing the right bamboo for your situation.  Bamboo is quite shallow rooted so would prefer a shallow pot.  This can also aid in keeping the bamboo and the pot more stable.  With a shallow pot the weight is lower so will be more stable in higher winds.

If you are using the bamboo in the pot to provide a little privacy then a running bamboo may be better.  Running bamboo seems to grow higher in a pot than a clumping type of bamboo.  We can always assist you to decide the best type of bamboo for your situation.

As with most plants in pots, bamboo will eventually become root bound. Like you need to do with other plants, you will need to either re-pot the bamboo into a larger pot or divide the bamboo. This will need to be done approximately every 4-5 years depending on the bamboo chosen. The quicker the bamboo grows (which is great for your privacy) the quicker it will become root bound. Don't forget to put your bamboo into your pot plant watering regime.  Bamboo need to keep moist so water on a regular basis.

As with any bamboo situation, if you are unsure about the type of bamboo that is appropriate for your situation then either email us at info@bamboo-plants.com.au or give us a call on 1300 654 454.

Candy cane bamboo going to Canberra

Candy cane bamboo going to Canberra Collectors Plant Fair

Look at the colour of the Candy Cane bamboo culms. This type of bamboo is perfect for the Canberra Collectors Plant Fair as it is quite rare within Australia. 

The botanical name for this stunning bamboo is
Himalayacalamus falconeri Damarapa. It can tolerate temperatures down to approx -9 degrees which would suit the Canberra frosts and colder weather.  It is a clumping type of bamboo as shown in the picture on the right. It has a maximum height of approximately 5 metres.  All the details about this bamboo are on our website.  You can use the following link to go directly to the candy cane page: www.bamboo-plants.com.au/bamboo-products/candy-cane-bamboo.php

People are obviously getting the message about the free delivery of our products to our expos and other events as we are taking quite a few orders up to Canberra.  If you would also like to take advantage of this offer then give us a ring on 1300 654 454.

Canberra Collectors plant fair is nearly here

Bamboo Creations at Canberra Collectors Plant Fair

The Canberra collectors plant fair is on very soon and Bamboo Creations Victoria will be attending with our van full of special bamboo.  This is running on the 21st and 22nd March from 10am to 4pm.  The fair is situated in the grounds of the beautiful Lanyon Homestead in Tharwa.  The address is Tharwa Drive in Tharwa (directions according to the website: From Canberra head south along Tuggeranong  Parkway/Drakeford Drive. Turn right onto Tharwa Dve, follow signs to Lanyon Homestead).

The plant fair has a double whammy for people that love their plants.  You can look at and purchase the best plants directly from the growers and you can also stroll through and fully enjoy the beautiful Lanyon Homestead gardens.  The Homestead gardens have flowing perennial beds, spectacular roses and a vegetable garden containing many heirloom varieties. 

For all the people that are coming along and would like us to bring your order with us then please give us a call beforehand. Our website has more details about this and all the other markets, expos and fairs that we attend. We would love to see you in Canberra so drop in and say Hello.