8 Interesting Ways to Landscape Your Yard With Bamboo
Bamboo has become one of the most popular “green” and environmentally-friendly materials used in many aspects of home construction and decor. This sustainable material is not only durable, it’s also attractive, and can be taken outdoors and incorporated into a wonderful landscape design.
While experts agree that actually planting bamboo isn’t necessarily a good idea (as it can grow extremely quickly and become overpowering), there are plenty if other ways to use this natural material to create a beautiful appearance to your outdoor landscaping.
1. Trellises For Climbing Plants
Many climbing plants need some sort of support in order to branch vertically, and a trellis is an ideal structure for this purpose. Rather than opt for a wire trellis, bamboo works just as well, yet adds an added level of natural beauty. You can easily find pre-built bamboo trellises at your local gardening store, but you can also make them yourself to fit the exact look and height that you want to achieve.
2. Walkway Edging
You can easily define your yard’s walkways and pathways using bamboo posts placed very closely together. How high you make the edging is entirely up to you. You can choose to keep the bamboo posts the same height for clean lines, or you might even want to consider a jagged edge by using different heights for each post.
3. Footbridges
If you’ve got a rather large property with trickling brooks, bamboo poles can be used to construct a footbridge over top of these waterways. Bamboo’s incredible strength and durability can withstand the weight of all the traffic that crosses on top, yet it’s extremely light and easy to work with. If bamboo is strong enough to handle all the foot traffic of major footbridges such as the Kampong Cham bridge in Cambodia – which is the longest bamboo bridge in the world – it’s surely strong enough for your residential setting.
4. Walkways
If bamboo is strong enough for a footbridge, it’s certainly durable enough for a walkway. Bamboo is a great alternative to conventional stone or concert walkways, and makes a sharp-looking surface, regardless of whether your outdoor decor is modern or traditional in nature.
5. Fencing
There are plenty of materials that you can choose from to construct a fence around the perimeter of your yard, but bamboo is probably one of the best. Aside from being attractive, it’s also very durable and resistant to infestation from termites, making it likely to last longer and require little maintenance compared to other types of wood.
6. Railings
Your staircase needs a railing, but instead of opting for the typical aluminum or other type of metal, consider going for something a little more in-tune with the surrounding natural setting, like bamboo. Installing railings by using bamboo poles can really create a truly unique look. You might even want to use it for your interior staircases too!
7. Privacy Screens
Creating defined spaces in your yard or adding a level of privacy from the neighbors is easy with the introduction of a screen made out of bamboo poles. All you need is a saw and some wiring to create a delightful design to your liking. You can keep a little bit of space between the poles for semi-privacy, or abut each pole right up against each other for maximum privacy.
8. Patio Roof
For some shade in an ultra-sunny backyard, a patio roof is a convenient addition as opposed to a typical umbrella. Bamboo offers a much more affordable option compared to other building materials when constructing a patio roof, while creating an esthetically pleasing structure at the same time.
There are plenty of ways to include bamboo in your yard instead of planting it. Consider any one of the above ideas to design a visually stunning yard you’ll be proud to show off to your guests.
