Improve Your Corner

Aldous Huxley wisely stated, “There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.”  The same goes for your own abode. So on this beautiful May Monday morning, we need to stretch our imagination when it comes to selecting plants. Reach beyond the typical and seek out areas in your garden that may need a bit of spring splash. Here’s a great suggestion – Epimediums. Also known as Barrenwort, this no-fuss plant peaks at this time of year with few gardening demands. Exactly what everyone looks for in a plant: adaptable and tough.

Mentioned in past blogs, Epimediums continue to be an underused genus considering its many attributes. This clump-form, low growing perennial offers many variations of height, flower, leaf color and texture. So let’s make it part of the gardener’s plant palette.  In general, you won’t encounter the unusual varieties of this perennial at your retail nursery, unless of course they are truly catering to the horticulturalist. You can find the standard fare, Epidmedium grandiflorum ‘Album’ (white flowering) or Epimedium x rubrum (red flowering), which is readily available and awfully attractive. As should be encouraged, don’t stop with the standards. 

Our Epimedium collection, purchased from the expert, Darrell Probst continues to surprise and flourish our garden with expansive growth each year. Here’s a Fine Gardening link written by the expert himself. http://www.finegardening.com/plants/articles/up-and-coming-epimediums.aspx This spread tells you everything you need to know or didn’t know about Epimediums.

So for the reluctant gardener that wants to perk up the garden area, look for this low-maintenance, deer-proof, tough perennial. Think Epimediums and improve your corner of the universe.    

Images of Spring Epimediums in our Garden by Greg Bilowz
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