Oh, oh, another must have book, I bought 'The Plant Lover's Guide to Asters by Paul and Helen Picton not too long ago. I only have 3 or 4 Epimediums in the garden now but I have space for a few more. Fraser's Thimble Farm is near by if I want to take a short ferry ride or better still, they have mail order:). They have a fairly large selection to chose from, thanks for the heads up Rouge.

Annette

wicked Rouge - you are truly a temptress. For years I staunchly stuck with the (easier) europeans...and then the odd asiatic started creeping in...

After x many years, have I got your gender totally wrong?

Oh, how lucky to live near Garden Visions. I would LOVE to see that nursery. I've bought all my epimediums from them, as well as some other shade lovers.

I only have 3 epimediums, but I understand how easy it would be to get hooked. I'm resisting, but may have to check out Garden Visions.

I was very bad with Garden Visions last season. I've never actually made it there, so last year I came up with a plan! I pre-ordered from her a whole bunch of shade plants (of which she has a very interesting selection) and asked her to hold them for me. That forced me to drive out there and, somehow epimediums just kept jumping in my box! I think I purchased thirteen in that visit! Nhbabs, and I hope Marie as well are going to get there this spring. Then I really must be DONE with epimediums.......famous last words! I really do love them! Those an hellebore are probably my biggest addictions.

Iḿ on! I probably önly¨ 8 varieties. and that is not enough

I had Bandit but lost it. It is beautiful. I think thereś one call Black Sea which is stunning.

I think many gardeners don´t realize how versatile Epimediums are. There are clumpers, spreaders (some moderately, others of ground cover density), ones with beautiful spring foliage in reds and others with glowing fall foliage. They are drought resistant after establishment. One of the few I´ve lost was planted in afternoon sun, and despite watering it just shriveled up. I think I rescued a few.

I also want to try Garden Visions trillium ¨Road Runner¨.

I only have a couple of them. I don't see them much in garden centers/nurseries here and when I do see them they are quite expensive. Are they expensive there?

Woody, I don't know about Garden Visions but here in B.C. at Fraser's Thimble Farm they range in price from $10-25. Some are sold in gal. pots others in 11cm. pots. I just had another look at their list, they have over 50 varieties. Phoenix only has a couple but one of them I'm lusting after, By the time I get over there I will have somehow justified the price in my mind :).

I had a look out and around the garden yesterday at what I have left, E. perraichicum (sp?), several patches of this old work horse and E. grandiflorum 'Rose Queen', up in the garden room planter E. pubigerum (white flowers). I had E.p. Lilafee and a couple of others at one time but lost them.

I cut the old foliage off my perraichicum about the same time I do the hellebores, otherwise the leaves seem to swallow up the flowers on mine, the new foliage is not far behind so not a problem. Anyone else cut the leaves off just before the flowers pop through?

Annette

Yes Annette I do. I took a quick peek yesterday and new growth has begun already and they are still surrounded by snow. You have to love these plants! I will try to cut the old foliage within the next day or two. I must check on my other one but it is always slower to start due to its location and species which is unknown to me since it was sent incorrectly named. I love it and was not disappointed.

when I do see them they are quite expensive

For sure. (Are they....propagated by division rather than by seed?)

'Woody' as might be expectied "Lost Horizons" has an impressive variety of epimediums (about 100 different ones although when I have gone it is problematic finding some of them as they are often mixed up).

Epimediums at "our" nursery

Anyways, most are priced as twenty something dollars with a low of $12 to a high of $80 (and unnamed at that but supposedly able to grow to over 3 feet in height).

crazy expensive but crazy tall 'epi'

Be still my heart, Rouge has anyone ever told you are a tease? I knew I shouldn't have opened up "Epimediums at "our Nursery", all I can say is it's a good job I live on the west coast, our house would be mortgaged by now. What a fabulous selection of plants they have, just a little green with envy here.

Annette

Rouge - have you heard anything more about the potential sale of 'our' nursery? Whatever happens, I suspect that catalog is going to shrink substantially! I wonder if there will be some good sales there this spring?!

Since I've lost a few epimediums in the garden, I'm not inclined to pay big bucks for them! My favorite is an unnamed reddish one that a neighbour (now, sadly, deceased) gave me quite a few years ago. She was originally from Germany and regularly brought seeds of various things back with her when she visited Germany. She was also heavily involved in the volunteers at RBG who grow things for their spring and fall sales and for RBG's use. She had a small greenhouse in the backyard where she grew lots of interesting stuff. I have no idea whether what I have from her is something common and bought commercially or something she grew from seed from one of her sources. I tend to forget about the epimedium until it blooms and then always comment 'isn't that pretty!' I don't even have a picture of it to show you. Are they easy to propagate? If I was going to add more, my first choice would probably be to spread this one around - but I don't want to risk killing it!

And does anyone know when it opens for the year? It is almost April, but nothing on the website. I have a list of plants I "need" to buy. One epimedium there, but not "The Giant".

Whatever happens, I suspect that catalog is going to shrink substantially! I wonder if there will be some good sales there this spring?!

Given that it was up for sale last year and now to start 2016 I would imagine the owner will do all he can to sell it before the end of this season. Although I do see that there are new plants listed in the catalogue I would take stock of any plants that only can be got at LH and buy them this season.

Looks like a possibly interesting book. I grow over 40 species, about 50 named varieties of epimediums, and thousands of seedlings which come up everywhere. Epimediums and hellebores are my favorite plants as they fit my wooded hillside site and are basically 100% deer-proof.

I buy all my plants from Garden Visions and have known Karen for years because her morther is my neighbor. I got "The Giant" and "Tarantula' from Karen last year and a spectacular clone of E. fargesii far better than the other 2 clones of this species which I grow. Even as a first year plant, bloom scapes on Giant are already near 3 feet tall though still only in tight bud and still growing. I expect they will improve as the plant gets more established. Looking at it, I feel sure that although an unnamed species, it is of the same species as 2 other accession number clones I have obtained fron GV in previous years although a superior variety.