IT is sad that bamboos have a reputation for being garden ‘thugs’, rapidly colonising areas, and invading anything and everything in their path. Truthfully, not all of them are like this, and the gorgeous non-invasive types are often bypassed in favour of something ‘safe’ – like a hedging conifer, or a wooden fence with a climber on it. A bamboo could easily have been a better choice, as many do make valuable living screens. They produce beautiful stems, with leaves that move gracefully in the slightest of breezes, creating gentle rustling sounds that add a whole new dimension to the garden. There are types with variegated leaves and coloured
