At the Botanic Garden he developed a special interest in Vinca, Epimedium, Hosta and Symphytum, all of which he published monographs on.[70] A series of botanical publications followed,[71] starting with a new species of Allium (A. farreri Stearn, 1930).[72][lower-alpha 10] Stearn repeatedly returned to the genus Allium, and was considered a world expert on it; many species bear his name.[16][56][lower-alpha 11] 1930 would also see his first bibliographic work, on the botanist Reginald Farrer,[75][76] whom he named Allium farreri after,[76] and also described Rosa farreri (1933)[77] and other species named after Farrer.