CHAPTER XXVII 



HARDY BAMBOOS 



THANKS to Lord Redesdale (author of " The Bam- 

 boo Garden "), and a few other gardening enthusiasts, 

 the Bamboo has been made a beautiful feature 

 of many English gardens. Although a graceful 

 shrubby grass of quite tropical aspect, the majority 

 of species and their varieties are thoroughly hardy, 

 so much so that they have passed safely through 

 the severest winters of the past twenty years. 

 Bamboos and hybrid Water Lilies are responsible 

 for much of the interest taken in good English 

 gardening at the present time. Their introduction 

 has marked a distinct era, and their popularity 

 is widespread, while in the near future we shall 

 regard the Bamboo much as we do the most common 

 of shrubs now planted. Arundinaria japonica (B. 

 Metake) is, of course, an old favourite, and it is 

 surprising that this stately species did not before 

 remind English gardeners of the great possibilities 

 of the Bamboos in the adornment of the pleasure- 

 ground. As Mr. Bean says : " Fifteen or twenty 

 years ago many of the best of the sorts now largely 

 grown were unknown in this country ; but apart 

 from their novelty they have other qualities. No 

 evergreens capable of withstanding our winters 



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