EPIMEDIUMS
Barrenwort, Bishop's Cap, Fairywings
You may have heard "The garden is magic and you are the magician!" Try epimediums and you'll see the magic displayed right in front of you. These aren't new plants at all, they are special plants, and thus far they are seriously underused, and often unknown to gardeners. All that is changing as the nursery trade and some hard working plant hunters set out to offer gardeners new and interesting varieties.
Epimediums deserve consideration for rock gardens, woodlands, dry, shady areas, under trees and along rock lines and walls. Their delicate, spidery, star-shaped blooms and neat leathery foliage make writing a good description difficult. Once you see one, you're sure to ask yourself why you have missed them for so long. These are tough, long lived perennials which grow along by rhizomes with tenacity and beauty.
The world's authority on this fine plant is Darrell Probst. If you have a minute, take a look at The Epimedium Page. If your curiosity continues, check out Chapter 10, King of Epimediums, Garden Vision-Darrell Probst, The Plant Hunter's Garden by Bobby J. Ward.This is a nine page journey complete with enough photos to make you want to have your own collection. And if you need a final complement to these resources, go to W. George Schmid's The Encyclopedia of Shade Plants and turn to the section on epimediums.
Here at Vermont Flower Farm epimediums are about 8 years "new" to us. We have grown them without any winter protection, in full shade, partial shade, along a walkway, and under a huge James MacFarland lilac in full summer sun. They bloom beautifully in late spring and sometimes again in early September. They aren't the fastest growing ground cover in Vermont but they bring a texture and color palette that offers more opportunity and little after-planting care. Come see!
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH |
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EPIMEDIUM 'FIRE DRAGON' |
Appropriately 'Fire Dragon' starts our list of super good garden choices. A recently released E. davidii X E. leptorrhizum cross, 'Fire Dragon' is a two toned purple and yellow 1.5" to 2.0" flower shower on a 10"-12" plant that reaches about 2 feet in diameter. The size of the individual blooms grabs your attention as they stand above green foliage. | $12.75 | ||
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EPIMEDIUM GRANDIFLORUM 'ALBA'
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Creamy white, delicate, long spurred flowers on 16" tall plants |
$12.75 |
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EPIMEDIUM GRANDIFLORUM 'LILAFEE' |
Lilafee, the Lilac Fairy. Light purple-pink flowers, purple tinged leaves, 10" tall plants. |
N/A 2011 |
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EPIMEDIUM GRANDIFLORUM 'ROSE QUEEN' |
Purple green foliage with deep rosy-pink blooms with long spurs on 12"-14" plants | $12.75 |
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EPIMEDIUM PERRALCHICUM 'FROHNLEITEN' |
Yellow blooms on 16" tall stems, green leaves with brown edge. | $12.75 |
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EPIMEDIUM VERSICOLOR 'SULPHUREUM |
Tiny lemon yellow blooms on 14" tall stems with variegated leaves. | $12.75 |
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EPIMEDIUM YOUNGIUM 'NIVEUM' |
Delicate, small white blooms atop medium, heart shaped leaves. 12" tall. A little later to bloom. | $12.75 |
EUPATORIUM
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ABOVE PICTURES TAKEN AT COASTAL MAINE BOTANICAL GARDENS*CLICK TO ENLARGE
If you asked George six years ago what he thought of eupatorium, the answer might not be too friendly. It probably would have been like asking Gail to comment on fresh cut bleeding heart, Dicentra Spectabilis, and have her report "They stink!" In hindsight, George says he just has to get out more.
The original bias against eupatorium came from watching wild varieties that came from who knows where invade the Lanesboro Road swamps over towards Owls Head in the Groton State Forest here. George loves riding that road in search of wildlife and wild anything and he resents seeing this plant take over all the ditches and then move into adjacent swamps.
Then in 2006 he escaped to Maine and visited the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. From the reception center looking across the vast lawn to the rose arbor, the Eupatorium maculatum 'Gateway' caught his eye. Almost ten feet tall and waving in a purple breeze, was an incredible accent plant. During our search for 'Gateway' we came upon 'Riesenschirm', both of which work well with our Vermont native, the Spotted Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium maculatum and Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium purpureum. Eupatorium is not for everyone but if you have that special garden similar to what we are describing, take a look when you visit us. Available stock is growing along the fence down below the daylily display garden. Note: The large clumps of 'Gateway' at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens were removed during summer 2010 reconstruction of the Haney Hillside Garden. Not sure if they have been relocated. Let us know if you visit and "find" them before we get back.
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH |
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EUPATORIUM MACULATUM 'GATEWAY' | Large rose flower heads, dark purple red stems 7-10 feet tall. Deer resistent. Terrific background accent for moist areas. Can you find 'Gateway' in the center of each garden picture above? |
$15.50 |
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EUPATORIUM
MACULATUM
'RIESENSCHRIM'
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Very deep purple blooms, on almost black stems, four feet tall, 2.5 feet wide and bushy. Can cut off single stems for arrangements. No hardening needed before arranging with other flowers. This plant has an interesting way of unfolding as summer evolves from spring. |
$15.50 |
FERNS
First, some fern philosophy. Our notion that opening up some land on the banks of the Winooski River, culling out all the old box elder, dead butternuts and elms, and then planning walking paths and gardening possibilities is clearly not a new idea. Now that gardeners are staying home a little more and taking a closer look at their own land, we want them to know that they might well have some good plant material they haven't studied yet. In an era of many just wanting to hire someone to tell "you" what to do, we propose a positive, inexpensive change. Look at your own project, inventory what native material is there and do some research to identify what you don't know.
Some folks balk at the idea of becoming part botanist, part landscape architect and landscaper but resources abound. Almost every community has a Master Gardeners program and gardeners in training have a responsibility for local projects. They are great resources because they are also tied into the current county, state and university resource network so answers are easy to obtain.
As we continue to develop a shade garden on the banks of the Winooski, we have inventoried what natives we have. We have left the large eupatoriums and a couple young butternut trees we have found. In places we have left native ground covers, a small collection of Ostrich fern, lots of bloodroot, and a few Trillium erectum and canadense lilies. In one area we even found some purple fringed orchids.
Our plan is to mix the new with the old so we'll add the three ferns listed below to our native plants. We have no intention of starting a full scale wildflower nursery but we do want to be able to point out to visitors that there are some very good plants already growing on our land that can be the basis for some very nice gardens. Come visit and give us your opinion!
Growers note: Don't let native ferns confuse you if you interplant with cultivated varieties such as we offer. The natives rise from slumber about three weeks earlier so don't poke around. Be patient!
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH |
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ATHYRIUM FILIX-FEMINA X NIPONICUM 'BANFORD BEAUTY' |
Soft silvery green, delicate leaves, very close to metallicum. Plant in rich compost and in dappled to bright shade. 16"-20" | $12.75 | ||
| ATHYRIUM NIPONICUM METALLICUM | Silver foliage with shades of green and some burdundy tones as well. Plant in rich compost and place in dappled to bright shade. | $12.75 | ||
| ATHYRIUM NIPONICUM var. PICTUM 'BURGUNDY LACE' | Burgunday and dark green leaves with silver color evolving with the season. 15"-18" tall. Plant in rich compost. | $17.50 |
HEUCHERAS
Heucheras, Coral Bells, Alumroot. Now here's a great garden plant that is growing in popularity so quickly that it's difficult to keep up with new market releases. Heucheras are North American natives, first documented around 1700. Just as the Internet has narrowed the size of the universe, modern day plant collectors and hybridizers have continued their mission of providing us with new and interesting plants.
New heucheras often have beautifully colored leaves, sometimes with ruffles or contrasting viening. They range in size and are sure to stop your plant search for the new and unusual. They are useful cut flowers too and their leaves enhance florists design possibilities.
Heucheras developed an early reputation as being a tough woodland plant that can tolerate moderate shade and moist soils. That thinking probably originated from the tiarella/foamflower heritage but we think it's inaccurate. Wet soils especially heavy in organic content or clay hold moisture and often lead to stem and root rot. Ideally a friable soil that remains damp but is in bright shade to light sun is best. This encourages growth while protecting the fibrous stem.
When planting, try to avoid places that hold snow cover in spring. This often translates to snow that melts and compacts but does not leave quickly. The result is lots of water around the stem and may result in death or delayed performance as the stems soften instead of taking hold during expected spring growth.
If we were asked the toughest part about heucheras, we would have to say pronoucing the name correctly. We say "HEW-KER-UH", always have and maybe always will. We have been corrected by many and to our recollection, most all of those folks were wrong too. This is not a mystery as Terra Nova Nursery president Dan Heims wrote a must-have book with Canadian writer and broadcaster, Grahame Ware. It's entitled Heucheras and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells published by Timber Press ©2005. As soon as they worked through a fifty page pictoral collection, they went right to pronunciation. The genus is named HOY-ker-uh after Johann Heinrich von Heucher. Heucher was a friend of Linnaeus in Germany in the early 1700's. If you know German you understand Heu=HOY.
Once you learn to say the name and view the available varieties, you'll want more heucheras for your garden. As we prepared to move our nursery in 2007, we intentionally ran down our inventory and selections. Give us a few years and we'll be back with a good selection again. In the meantime, buy the book, try the flowers and start the journey!
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH |
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GREEN SPICE |
A very nice green with gray leaf and purple to dark brown veining. In the fall when the maples, birches and poplars have dropped their leaves to surround Green Spice,and a light mist has fallen, the colors are sharp and bright. A picture, a memory! Plant in front of actaea and various small to medium hostas. 16"-18" tall scapes. |
Very limited until 2012 | |
PALACE PURPLE |
Deep rosy purple leaves with 18" thin flower scapes, mounding habit. This is the early heuchera first grown in the Royal Botanic Gardens over twenty five years ago. Lots to choose from since then! |
Very limited until 2012 |
LAMIASTRUM
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH |
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LAMIASTRUM GALEOBDOLON 'HERMAN'S PRIDE' |
An early blooming, low growing plant George sometimes uses to complement shade plants inc. hostas. Green and white, rough cut leaves with yellow blooms. 12" tall. |
$10.50 |
LIGULARIA
Not everyone is interested in tall or big leaved plants but properly sited they can change the dimension of your gardens and also your opinion of coarse plants. The key is where you decide to plant them.
Many years ago, George picked up a couple ligularia at a farmer's market. This was soon after we moved to Marshfield and about the same time he was planning a small goldfish pond. It afforded us an opportunity to see how they grew here and the garden was better than any gardening book at showing their architectural strength.
Ligularias have wonderful foliage, some with huge leaves, others with cut and jagged leaves. Some are thick stemmed with large flowers and others are tall and slender with hundreds of small flowers. In either case a strong statement can be made.
This plant does best when placed in an area that is constantly moist. We tried to recreate a bog area when we first planted ours and although our plan worked very well, it was a great deal of work. If we try to grow this plant again in what is other than a moist area, we'll make use of large plastic containers or rubber pond liner material to recreate a bog-like setting. If the ligularias do dry out, they spend the afternoon prostrate and wilted but always seem to rejuvenate over night.
Bloom time starts in August here in Vermont and it coincides with the time actaeas are blooming. The white or pink flowers and dark foliage of actaeas contrasts well with ligularias, regardless of the variety. Tall Oriental lilies or rodgersias can add to the mix. We're in the process of rebuilding our stock and for the next 2-3 years we will limit our offering to three varieties.
PICTURE |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
$ EACH | |
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LIGULARIA DENTATA 'OTHELLO' |
Large, deep purple leaves. Flower spikes to 48" with yellow-orange flowers | $12.75 | |
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'LITTLE ROCKET' | Smaller, more compact plant, 2 feet tall, dark green leaves, with multiple, slim, 3 foot stems carrying rows of small, bright yellow flowers. Seed pods hold on a long time. Serve as winter food for finches and other small seed eating birds. | $12.75 | |
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'THE ROCKET' | Heart shaped leaves with jagged edges and 4 foot tall, thin flower scapes with small, bright yellow flowers.Holds color here through early September. Scapes useful in large flower arrangements. | $12.75 |