Garden Vision Epimediums was a small, retail nursery located in rural central Massachusetts selling Epimediums from 1997-2023. The plants I have offered represent the work of Epimedium expert, Darrell Probst, over the last two and a half decades, through several collecting expeditions to China, Japan and Korea, along with the travels and collecting efforts of Joanna Zhang, his interpreter in China. The nursery grew out of his intense interest in the genus, a need to support his efforts in plant collecting and breeding, and as a way to get these worthy garden plants into cultivation and commerce.
Epimediums are used medicinally and are commonly over-collected in their native habitats. Darrell also networked with many other Epimedium collectors, nurserymen and experts worldwide to amass this impressive array of species and varieties. Many of the cultivars are select seedlings from the garden of the late Epimedium enthusiast Harold Epstein, who often traveled to Japan, as well as from Darrell’s own breeding efforts and selection.
I came to the business through my association with Darrell and a background in public garden work. I left my job at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in 2001, and have worked full time in the business since then, doing most of the nursery maintenance, propagation, promotion, sales and shipping. I have been the sole owner of Garden Vision Epimediums since 2009. I ran the nursery by myself, with a little occasional help from my friends. I also travelled to various specialty plant sales throughout the eastern U.S and offer talks to plant groups. I propagated all of the Epimediums that I sold.
Darrell continues to work through accredited taxonomic scientists in China and Europe to define the genus and get, as yet unidentified species, published in the scientific literature. Although not actively involved in the nursery since 2009, Darrell has helped as a consultant. Garden Vision Epimediums has served as a launching pad for Darrell’s new introductions, resulting from his research in identifying as yet, unnamed species, and his hybridizing efforts with Epimediums. I have also introduced new cultivars from other Epimedium breeders.
Karen Perkins
Garden Vision Epimediums
