There are a great many quotes about patience – the art of being patient and the benefits of being patient. Seen here is the result of thoughtful planning, great execution, and of course “patience”. This grove of Crepe Myrtle ‘Natchez’ growing among a dense blanket of Albostriata Bamboo took a while to fill in, but wow was it worth the wait!
Sasaella masamuneana ‘Albostriata Bamboo’ is an attractive shrub bamboo with variegated leaves of green with creamy stripes. As summer progresses the leaves turn golden while still retaining their green stripes. Because it is a running bamboo, it can spread rapidly by aggressive rhizomes (rhizomes are horizontal underground stems that put out lateral shoots at random intervals). The plant can be kept in check by either planting in a bordered area where the roots are confined – as in this example where it is surrounded on all sides with a masonry barrier e.g. retaining walls and pool patio. You can also use a deep root barrier like “barrier shield” which comes in long plastic rolls. These barriers are placed vertically in 28″ deep trenches around the perimeter of the bamboo planting area. Just make sure the barrier goes down to a 28″ depth leaving 2″ above grade to avoid hurdling.
This plant bed separates a pool patio from the main house on one of our projects.
Crepe Myrtle Natchez is a vigorous variety of Crepe Myrtle with white flowers and good frost resistance for our section of the Northeastern U.S. We’ve used this variety of crepe myrtle on many of our projects and it appears to withstand a host of difficult site conditions.