My first ever hollyhock

17 years ago

Hi all,

Just had to share a few pics of my single yellow hollyhock - and my latest garden addition - Phlox, "Becky Towe". I've never grown these before. This is the 2nd year I've had the hollyhock. Yes, the JBs love it, but thankfully, and knock on wood, I've only seen a "few" JBs on it!! Enjoy! P.S. Please ignore my old gym shoes hanging in the greenhouse (Pic #2)! Seems my husband has found a new use for the greenhouse and a new way to dry my old rain soaked sneakers!

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Comments (11)

nberg7
17 years ago
Congrats on the Hollyhocks! This was my first year too, so I share in your thrill! After watching them do nothing the first year, it's so satisfying when they finally shoot up those pillars of flowers! Love that color too.
-Nan
andrewlina
17 years ago
Beautiful hollyhocks! I love them and cannot get mine to grow well,I live almost by the WI/IL border. My neighbor has hollyhocks to die for! Did you start these from seed or direct sow? Congrats!
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fammsimm
17 years ago
They're beauties, and I love your greenhouse!

I'm taking my first stab at growing hollyhocks, and I would be thrilled to have even 1/2 the success you've had. :-)

Marilyn
gardeners_hands
17 years ago
hiBellarosa, I adore hh, and single yellows are my very favs! Really!
However - as far as I know - mine did not survive my last move
2 years ago. I do have a half-dozen plants that haven't flowered
yet but have a feeling they are the pinks and the 'black'.

Would you care to trade seeds?
Here is what's blooming right now in my garden:

It's an anomoly having only one lonely hh, but
I bet all of the short plants shoot up and bloom next year!

If anyone has single WHITE hh... please lets trade!
GH-
blossomgirl
17 years ago
I love hollyhocks! One of my favorite all time cottage flowers. When I was a teenager I went to Scotland one Summer with my Mom. There was a old lady who had a garden just of Hollyhocks and it was fantastic!!!!
Gigi
bellarosa
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you all for the compliments. I love HH, but haven't grown these before 'cause of the JBs. Awful creatures!! Anyway, this variety of HH is called Alcea Rugosa. Mine did really well this year with all the rain we've had. I didn't grow it from seed. I bought the plant locally two years ago. Its an amazing variety and really different looking too.
jlsch
17 years ago
I also wintersowed them for the first time this year. Had an awful time keeping them going as the bunnies chewed them down as fast as they grew. I finally put a cage around each one so they could grow some height. Most of the them are malva zebrinas, but am eager to see what color the regular hh turn out. Yours look wonderful. By the way I do have something putting holes in mine - not sure if JB or earwigs. Been a bad year for both.
gardengrown
17 years ago
I know what you mean. I just love hollyhock. I first planted some about 4 years ago and was so happy they bloomed, but holy cow they self-sow - a lot. I have mostly pastels and have too many and have had to pull some - I hated having to do that, but my yard was turning into a hh jungle. We even had to use the shop vac too because of all the seeds the plants produced and spilled out. Wish I had the same luck with all the other types of flower I love.
gardeners_hands
17 years ago
Isn't Mother Nature wonderful?
Generous to a fault.
Always some surprises up her sleeves no matter how long you've been gardening.
Healing you when your heart hurts.
And... occasionally... leveling the playing field when someone thought they were 'winning'.

Vacuuming up hh seeds! I had to smile, I think you really meant that! Well, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. It'd be nice if we could eat all we yank out but we can't. I swear - I think I'm gonna dream of you in the garden with the shop vac tonight, hee hee!
GH-
cameragirl59
17 years ago
Sis, what a beautiful HH! Of course you are going to give me some of those lovely seeds....

And gardeners hands, WOW! What a garden. I have that HH and it hasn't even bloom...WAAAAAAHHHHHH yours is truly beautiful!
bellarosa
Original Author
17 years ago
GH and Cameragirl59 (my Sis),
Sure I can give you some seeds. I've never done this before, but I think I have to wait until they dry up in the Fall. GH, send me an email and let me know where to send them. Sis, I'll drop them off ~ you're getting spoiled! :-)

My first ever hollyhock

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My first ever hollyhock

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