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Known variably as goat’s rue and barrenwort, the botanical name is most widely used. It is called goat’s rue because of goats’ fondness for grazing it in its native Far East. Barrenwort refers to its herbal use in the treatment of infertility.
Epimedium comes into flower in March and April, with small sprays of neat, little flowers in shades of yellow, pink, pale-purple and white. The flowers can be spidery or shaped like miniature daffodils.
The most commonly grown kind is Epimedium x versicolor, 'Sulphureum', with yellow flowers. The pink flowers of Epimedium x versicolor var. versicolor are very pretty and the leaves well marked. The white flowers of Epimedium x youngianum, 'Niveum', are like carved ice and 'Roseum' has pink-purple flowers.
Epimedium is related to the shrub berberis, which has flowers of similar shape, and to mahonia, which has yellow flowers in autumn and spring. Oddly, the scent of the flowers is reminiscent of daffodils. It is a perennial flower and it’s also evergreen, except in very cold winters.
After a hard winter the foliage might be a little battered and worn, so the old leaves can be cut away in early spring to allow the flowers and new foliage to be more visible.
The plant makes a clump of heart-shaped leaves carried on wiry stems
It is true that the old foliage can hide some of the new foliage and the flowers until they expand fully, but the spiky cut-ends of the old leaves are not at all attractive, giving the plant a spiky appearance. Cutting away the old foliage in spring is a matter of preference and there is no need to do so if you prefer a more natural appearance.
The plant makes a clump of heart-shaped leaves carried on wiry stems.
What looks like a leaf is actually a leaflet, carried on its own little stalk and there can be three to nine leaflets on a leaf. The leaflets are normally carried with the point of the heart down, which means a very attractive arching clump of similarly aligned leaves. The leaves are very prettily marked with fine veins and they can be coloured, especially in spring, with a touch of bronze.
The new leaves on some kinds, notably those with red or purple flowers, tend to have this colouration.
It can even keep ivy back for many years, only succumbing when the ivy mounds up and grows over it
The leaves are evergreen and the plant has presence all year round, growing even when the leaves are gone from overhead plants, filling the ground layer year-round and keeping weed numbers down very effectively. It is remarkable how effective the foliage is in keeping other plants and weeds at bay.
It can even keep ivy back for many years, only succumbing when the ivy mounds up and grows over it.
So it is a tough little plant, despite the apparent delicacy of its foliage and flowers.
The action of survival takes place underground because the plant makes a dense network of stems and weeds find it impossible to invade the root mass.
However, this weed-preventing measure does not come into effect until the plant is established and it is important to control weeds until then.
Most established gardens have areas under trees and shrubs or in the shade of walls and buildings.
These places can be difficult, tending to be dry and shaded, especially in summer, offering twin challenges to any plant. The epimedium is an excellent plant for such places, being robust and long-lived. It has fine foliage and its dainty flowers are a spring-time delight. It makes a pretty cut flower too.
Plant now in flower colours of your choice and remember to water it a few times with a heavy soak to get it going. Or better still, plant it in autumn heading into damper months and with more light available when the tree canopy is absent.
Several, otherwise good, garden trees, have a natural tendency to spread by throwing up suckers from the roots. Left undisturbed, these now-small stems will grow as big as the parent tree. Examples include rhus or staghorn sumach, lilac, glory bower or clerodendrum, many cherries and robinia.
The suckers are produced in summer and not always seen until revealed growing up through flowers and shrubs. These one-year suckers are soft and easily chopped out with a spade. The area of soil loosened should be firmed back hard to reduce the chances of more suckers at the same spot.
Trees, shrubs and roses
Evergreens in pots usually do very well when planted as growth starts – they establish roots straight away. Water well until they are settled in. Bush roses and repeat-flowering climbers are growing and should be sprayed against blackspot disease, if affected before.
Flowers
Hardy, annual flowers such as California poppy, calendula and candytuft can still be sown and will flower in late summer. Gladioli can be planted directly outdoors from the middle of the month. This also includes lilies, which can be potted up for summer flowers.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
Sow vegetable seeds if the ground is right because most kinds can be sown now. Control weed seedlings between vegetables as soon as they come up. It is easier to get rid of them when they are small. Onion sets can be put in now. Potatoes can be planted.
Lawns
Lawns are full of moss and need some feeding. Mow regularly from now on. Use sulphate of iron as a lawn mosskiller if there is heavy moss growth and feed the grass afterwards. Sow lawn seed. Old, thin lawns can be over-sown with fresh seed in patchy areas.
Greenhouse and house plants
Check all greenhouse plants for greenflies and other pests now. Feed and water heavily all greenhouse plants, if not already done. Sow sweetcorn and runner beans in the next two weeks for planting out at the end of May, and also sweet peppers and chilli peppers.
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