Epimediums

In Massachusetts the epimediums are living a life of luxury in rich soil, with three to four hours direct sun. In warmer climates, Darrell recommends planting epimediums in complete shade. They bloom in mid-spring and grow in Zones 4-8. Epimediums are one of the easiest shade plants, requiring minimum maintenance. And that's just one reason why gardeners love them. They're very easy to grow, and deer don't touch them. Just plant them and water well until they're established, but they'll take care of themselves after that.

Epimediums vary quite a lot in their growth habits. Some are clump-forming, so after three years you'll have a plant that's just a foot in diameter. Other plants spread by long rhizomes, so they might spread eight to ten inches a year and form a thick groundcover.

It's easy to see why these lovely and nearly carefree plants have a growing group of enthusiasts willing to travel as much as six hours to Darrell's garden for the perfect plant. It's certainly worth the trip to see all the different varieties of epimediums, many of which you won't see anywhere else in the U.S.