Nightmare Devon garden ‘infestation’ spreading like wildfire

A family’s dream ‘Mediterranean’ back garden has turned into a nightmare after bamboo used as a feature started to spread like wildfire and take over their home. Homeowners are being warned about bamboo infestations after the owner of the Plymouth home was left facing a £4,000 bill to fix the problem.

Leah Jones inherited the bamboo infestation which spread across her garden. When Leah and her family moved into their terraced home in the city, they were delighted with the Mediterranean feel of the rear garden, which had bamboo growing on one side.

They made a seating area next to the bamboo and decorated it with fairy lights. A survey on the property had not mentioned the bamboo and the family were unaware of the risks, until Leah’s father-in-law mentioned he had read it could be an invasive plant.

They realised the bamboo had in fact spread across the width of the garden, beneath the patio and artificial lawn, with new shoots emerging four metres away on the opposite side. A bamboo survey revealed their entire back garden was crisscrossed with bamboo rhizome, with runners visible against the boundary wall adjoining the neighbouring property.

Leah said: “When we bought the house we had no idea of the problems bamboo can cause, and our surveyor didn’t mention it. It’s going to cost us several thousand pounds to have the bamboo removed next month with major disruption to the garden, including removing the artificial grass, lifting the patio and excavating all the root balls and runners from the ground.

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