Buddha's Belly Bamboo. Famous for its swollen distorted canes this bamboo is much sort after in China and Japan where good examples can fetch hundreds of dollars. Large distorted canes (culms) are only produced occasionally sometimes when the plant is kept in a pot or when the weather is especially hot, hence the high price. Will need winter protection or can be grown in a conservatory. Height in the U.K. to about 2 metres.

A small to medium sized bamboo with graceful arching canes that are densely covered in narrow variegated leaves. This bamboo has a tufty appearance quite unlike any other bamboo. It has a gently spreading habit, making it useful for ground cover or as a decorative container plant. Happy in sun or shade and will reach around 2 metres in height, although usually much shorter.

A tall and sought after bamboo with solid culms from Chile. The culms are covered at each node with masses of branches giving them a look very similar to a bottlebrush. The culms themselves vary in colour from a dark green, fading to a paler green. Best planted in semi-shade in fertile soil. A superb clump forming elegant specimen bamboo.

Fortune's Bamboo. An upright, bamboo with pale green canes and narrow dark green leaves with cream stripes. It will only reach around 1 metre in height and is an absolutely ideal small bamboo for a pot. It can be cut back in early spring to encourage lovely fresh new growth. A good bamboo for the shade and works well as ground cover.

A lovely dwarf golden leaved bamboo that can reach 1 metre in height. It can be clipped back in early spring to promote masses of lush new growth. It works particularly well as a small hedge and equally well as a specimen. Ideal for the small garden or where space is at a premium.

Arrow Bamboo. This bamboo is a very rapid grower and is ideal for covering that trouble spot in your garden. Will wander when planted in the ground, so some form of barrier would be recommended. Good in a pot and does not mind being in a shady position. Has big leaves and will reach four to five metres in height.

Huge jungly large leaved bamboo that looks like it should be more at home in Burma!. Supremely exotic but can be a bit naughty. It can easily be grown in a container where it's best given lots of feed and water to keep it happy. Up to 3m tall in ideal conditions. Very hardy and evergreen.

Veitch's BambooA low spreading bamboo with arching purple canes. Its glossy dark green leaves wither at the margins from late autumn giving an attractive variegated effect, which looks amazing when several are planted together in a drift. The new canes emerging in the spring are a sight to behold. Best to grow it in a container if you don't want it to spread too much.

A super hardy large leaved ground cover bamboo that can be planted in sun or shade. It is normally best if pruned back hard each spring to promote masses of lush creamy yellow and green striped leaves. It is a very striking bamboo which looks great in a container. Ideal for the smaller garden because of its size but it may wander a little if allowed to. A root barrier is recomended.

A luxuriously leafy bamboo from India which produces delicate culms nodding with masses of tiny leaves. Yushania anceps makes a wonderfully graceful medium sized bamboo. It is relatively rare in the UK and will prove to be very popular. It is very hardy and adaptable, tolerating both sunny and shady spots and is also suitable for container cultivation. Generally clump forming, although may wander a little in ideal conditions.