Hollyhocks

I have always liked hollyhocks and flowers in the mallow family. When we bought this place, I wasn't into gardening but was thrilled when we had hollyhocks come up. They were all white and pink.

A couple years ago Apple convinced me to try starting some plants from seeds. I thought I would pick something simple. I was thrilled when they actually grew! These have come back two years in a row. The seed package said perennial but I didn't believe it. I had never heard of a perennial hollyhock. I only knew of the biennial variety. These have much more color and this year they got huge!

My sister is loving her hollyhocks more than I am mine this year. And who can blame her when hers look so great and have the barn for a great backdrop? I've only had white and pink in years past so I have no idea how I got a red one! I do remember having a dozen or more plants started last year along the back of the house. This is what came back this year:


The ones out in the nightmare bed are just ho-hum. The ones by the house are 7' tall out here they refuse to get more than 4'.
The beetles have been munching on them like crazy so they are starting to look ratty already. Oh, well.

So this morning I put a bunch of seeds down from a newly purchased packet. Maybe I'll get lucky and have a pretty patch like Country Girl's next year.