I, personally, have been involved in a sizeable frenzy of bamboo construction: sizable both in terms of magnitude of structure and energy level. This year, I was determined to build some trellising for the tomatoes and some of the climbing beans and gourds that would place them in pendant, overhead positions in the garden, like the late and most assuredly great Rosemary Verey’s famous Labernum tunnel at Barnsley House in England.


What I have finally achieved are 3 square pergolas: one centering the main vegetable garden and the others centering each of the Siamese twin plots, one up a step from the other, in back of the chicken house. In each case, the pergola sits astride the crossing of the cruciform paths and is tall enough for me to walk under without stooping. Each has a peaked roof running to about ten feet tall, and is about six feet square.

The pair in the tomato gardens are each composed of four cylindrical bamboo columns eighteen inches in diameter and eight feet tall, rather like a quartet of immense tomato cages, which is, of course, what they’re meant to be. Resting on the shared inner circumferences of these is the square, peaked roof. My plan is to grow each of the eight columns with a single type of tomato, then let them all meet in the center to decorate the roof. I think I’ll also grow a couple of Caracalla Bean vines up each as a companion planting, which will provide a little late summer dazzle as well as a bit of green coverage when the tomato vines start looking rotty.

The one in the center of the main garden has quite an elaborate, almost fish scale looking roof treatment I constructed out of bamboo edging hoops. These I had purchased in massive quantity to make an overlapping edging for some of our island beds, an effect I absolutely detested. However, they turned out to be perfect for adding architectural interest to and providing tensile cross-bracing for these large-scale bamboo structures, which just goes to show you that the worm can turn nicely when it wants. Also, do use “zip-tie” rather than twine or waxed string to make your joins: their supremely tight grip will make the structure substantially more sound.

I’m planning on growing that pergola with Sun Bright Runner Bean, a new variety from Thompson & Morgan which has yellow foliage and brilliant scarlet blossoms, and Malabar Spinach, with its handsome reds stems, tiny pink blossoms and succulent green leaves. It should be quite a happy pairing. To be brutally honest, Runner Beans as edible “green beans” are never as tasty and tender as your basic Blue Lake or Fin De Bagnol or Kwintus varieties, but their blossoms make up for everything, and they’re excellent for drying, shelling, and using during the winter.