You Take a Stick of Bamboo...

When it comes to home décor and garden design, the choice of materials is vast - almost daunting. But there is a single material that could be applied to almost every aspect of design. From the scaffolding used in the construction of your home to an ingredient in the meals cooked in your state-of-the-art kitchen and everything in between: Bamboo is perhaps the most versatile material on earth. With its simple, efficient qualities, bamboo enhances your home and garden - from a sleek bamboo sofa to a cluster of bamboo hedges.

Bamboo is the common name for a treelike grass. There are many species of bamboo, all of which grow naturally in tropical regions of Asia and America. One of the most amazing things about bamboo is the way it grows. It shoots up in clusters, and all the stalks are connected by one root system, similar to aspen trees. This is a common feature of grasses, but it's striking with bamboo because the stalks grow to the height of trees. In Asian forests, some species of bamboo grow up to 120 feet tall! These large bamboo specimens are typically used for timber.

In the United States, two varieties of bamboo grow naturally, although there are plenty of imported varieties that have adapted to our climate. The primary use of bamboo in this country is ornamental. Bamboo clusters are an excellent substitute for hedges. Depending on your needs, different species are preferable. Two categories of bamboo include running bamboo and clumping bamboo.

Running bamboo implies that the plants have roots that shoot out underground, and rise up some distance away from the original clump. This may not be desirable if you are planting bamboo as a lawn border, because you can't know in which direction the bamboo will go. If you have neighbors, they may not be appreciative of the clump of bamboo stalks that rises in the middle of their bocci court. (There are methods of planting bamboo that will restrict its wanderings.) On the other hand, clumping bamboo is easier to control. It has short rhizomes that remain close to the clump, and the rhizomes that do venture out are not invasive because they don't create new clumps. Both running and clumping bamboo are available at garden centers on the East End, including Shelter Island Gardens.

To use bamboo on a smaller scale, consider bamboo furniture. Designed for either indoor or outdoor use, the look of bamboo brings a calming feeling to your home, and it epitomizes the beach house. Sylvester & Co. at Home, in Amagansett, carries bamboo side tables, mirrors, chairs and ottomans. According to Linda Sylvester, co-owner of the business, bamboo furniture "breathes better in beach communities. [It] is flexible and is typically used in communities close to the water because of its ability to withstand humidity." Sylvester referred to bamboo as "progressive." She added, "Bamboo is a sustainable resource, it grows like a weed. We are not cutting down any maple trees!" So beyond the aesthetic value of bamboo, it is also a sustainable crop that could help limit deforestation of vital trees.

Bamboo can be introduced to the home on an even smaller scale. In the past decade, bamboo stalks have gained popularity in this country as a virtually maintenance-free plant. To add a touch of greenery to your home, you can purchase live bamboo plants, put them in a vase of water, and watch them thrive. Place stones at the bottom of the vase, and the roots will creep down through the bed of stones. These stalks can be bought in pairs, and can be trained to spiral around each other, giving an organic feel to your space.

There is no shortage of ways to enjoy bamboo. Whether it's a grove of bamboo stalks bordering your lawn or one simple plant on your kitchen table, it will bring simplicity and style to a home.

- Emily J Weitz

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