I am pretty sure it is the height of the bamboo that is what is unchanging not the diameter, otherwise the bamboo would always be pencil thick, since that’s how it starts.
Rather that each shoots grows its FULL height each year, regardless of age.
And the shoots get thicker each year.
Think that’s how it is, anyway.

I find Martin’s dedication and knowledge very inspirational. We need gardens all over the country that are growing unusual edible perennials to see what does well in different areas (various soil types and weather conditions).

Earlier this year my partner’s father , Colin Bullough, very sadly died of a brain tumour. He had just retired and was looking forward to tending his newly planted forest garden in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This is about the most different climate there is from Devon within the UK (it’s cold and relatively dry in Aberdeenshire, compared to warm and damp in Devon). He had been inspired by a course he had been on with Martin. When I saw Colin before he bacame ill he proudly showed me his quinces, fruiting hawthorn’s, eleagnus bushes, autumn raspberries and many other wonderful and unusual plants – nearly all of which had been sourced from Martin.

Colin was completely new to this type of gardening having previously never heard of such strange things – but he was inspired (he also had a well-thumbed copy of Patrick Whitefield’s Forest Garden book). Being into Peak Oil and sustainability I enthusiastically told Colin how important an experiment his Forest Garden was. I’m not aware of any other such edible gardens in Aberdeenshire. He was too modest to admit that it was as important as I believed!

In his memmory, his family are now tending and expanding the garden as a memorial to him. His son has just ordered many new plants from Martin that we will plant this winter.

For me this is a wonderful example of how people can be inspired by seeing something new – even in their later years – and really start to make a positive contribution to our knowledge of perennial edibles – a crucial part of our future. So if you’re sitting at home thinking it’s too late or your garden’s too small to plant unusual trees – I’d say ‘No it’s not! – get on the phone to Martin and order some tasty trees!’