Fat is Good

-by Andrew Osyany

Hibiscus

Pulsatilla

Agastache

Pulsatilla vernalis
Pulsatilla vernalis	I should have mentioned that this is a Northern-hemisphere genus and which, by and large, very growable. Among the more difficult ones is Pulsatilla vernalis, a frequently-mentioned favourite species. It is also European, but spread out further North, all the way to Southern Norway. This is a smaller plant, completely covered in hairs, including the white flowers, which do not open flat but are goblet shaped. My description hasn't done it justice because I did not convey the plant's elegance and wonderful proportionality. Certainly growable for us from seed, but it just isn't long lived. Each year our seedex has about 20 pulsatilla offerings. Jacqueline Pilote has been on a pulsatilla tear and she contributes some very lovely items. We had Pulsatilla ambigua from her, which was a delicate plant with really fabulous blue flowers. However, delicate doesn't do for us and it didn't survive the following year.	Pulsatilla vernalis
Pulsatilla alpina.ssp. alpina
	Last year she showed pictures of P.tatewakii at the seedex workshop, and it was a real winner. From other sources we've had Pulsatilla albana both in its yellow and dark purple forms. This one is surviving nicely. A number of others have flowered for us, but the labels no longer tell me what they are. As a general rule, they have all been smaller plants than P. vulgaris and so easier to place in the rock garden. P. alpina is a classic pulsatilla from the Alps and not so difficult to grow, unlike its yellow subspecies, P. alpina ssp. sulphurea. The subspecies grows on acidic strata and the books recommend that you grow it likewise, but Ingwersen says that is not a problem. I have no successful experience to offer as guidance. P. slavica has very very dark purple flowers, they nod somewhat and do not open fully, but have a nice somewhat pinched bell or urn form. P. georgica is said to be small and to have very good blue flowers; I do not know if I brought it to flowering, but certainly no fabulous unnamed blue pulsatilla flowered in the seedling beds.	Pulsatilla alpina apiifolia
Pulsatilla montana	The North American western P. patens is an absolute stunner and can be frequently seen in prize-winning pictures, with its dark reddish-purple flowers clustered right at the ground level, the fringy leaves and calyx nicely enveloping them, sometimes set off by snow on the ground. The fact that we can't grow it doesn't mean anything, but I don't know anyone in the East who can. It wouldn't stop me from trying seed again, though. Haliburton story In the 1970's Don and Inge also tried farming; a small-scale, mixed operation. The neighbour across the road had a dog, which was not confined. Roamer was a nice friendly dog and liked to come over and play with the chickens. Well, that just wouldn't do, so Don spoke to the neighbour but got no results. After a few double visits like that Don got the nice friendly Roamer into his vehicle and went for a little ride. Actually, more than a little ride, because they went to beyond the back of the next lake, where Don set Roamer free. It cost the neighbours $50 to get the dog back, so afterwards it was on the chain. The neighbours were suspicious of Don, but Roamer didn't tell on him.	Pulsatilla grandis
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