They are hard to start from seed, normally they are started from roots. Once established, they take over, and many people find them troublesome for that reason. You find little shoots sprouting up everywhere, that grow very quickly.
I'm not surprised you have not planted it, because it takes over and spreads so quickly.
There are mainly two kinds of bamboo. There is "running" bamboo, and there is "clumping" bamboo. Clumping spreads outwards in a gradual circle, and running sends long runners of roots under the earth springing up everywhere. Clumping is easier to control.
To control bamboo from going where you do not want you put barriers underground to prevent the roots from spreading.
A lot of my yard is full of other stuff that takes over, and suppresses other plants, so if I put bamboo in the right areas it should be fine.
Bamboo is actually classified as a kind of grass, it is very surprising for something so big to be classified that way.
May God bless us I pray.