Great photo's. I especially love the holly hocks. I tried them once but they didn't make it. Hope yours does well. :o)

You have some beautiful flowers! Vietnam has a tropical climate doesn't it? I wonder if those hollyhocks would grow here too. That might be a find!

Beautiful, Tina. So glad to hear your Clem made it. Please give more info.... where did you get the hollyhock. I've been looking for it for a while.

Veronica

Thanks!! The Vietnamese Hollyhocks are supposed to do ok here. I have the single flowering Vietnamese ones (babies) as well, from a friend who grows them in Orlando. I am also trying the black one.

I am a zone pusher. I love English wall gardens and all they entail. Thanks to Veronica....instead of pulling my hair out with hybrid tea roses, I've planted quite a few antique roses. I also have Foxglove on its second wave of blooms and Phlox that's doing well. I usually have the Foxglove around for about 6 months. I've added Penstemon too.

Veronica, there's a fruit stand on the corner of St Cloud and 60 that has them for $5.99. They still had 2 today when I went by, though they stuck them in the shade for some reason, so they don't look so great. Mine is in full sun as that was what was recommended online. I hesitated because that usually doesn't mean Florida's full sun, but it's doing great.

I bought the same v. hollyhock last week at the USF sale, plus I grew some from seeds I got from Tom (Tomncath). They grow well for me so far, let's see what happens in August though, lol. I collected seeds and someone at the swap took them. I can gather more if anyone wants.
Lori

Beautiful plants!
I tried butterfly bush in the ground and it died too soon! So now I have 2 in pots and love them.
Going to look for that hollyhock - to die for.
thanks for posting,
Hester

Tina,

Hester makes a good point. I lost all Buddleias to nematodes until I started to keep them potted. I would root a few, just in case.

Veronica

I got a butterfly bush with yellow flowers a year or so ago at a plant sale and the vender said this one was a Fl native. It got very big and leggy so I moved it and am training to be a standard. It went into shock after the move but is getting leaves again now. All the others I tried died in the ground but this one seems to be doing good.

I love that hollyhock, and would love some seeds. :o)

Amazing, I can wait to see if Lori's VH does that well...I think I'll be looking for one Saturday at the Greenthumb ;-)

You sure have a way with the plants you're growing, I love you pictures.

Tom

BTW, is that a lavender or a rosemary that's blooming?

Tom

I have the seeds and can share with you guys, Tom and Kathy.

Believe it or not, I saw those Vietnamese Hollyhocks at Walmart, I like them a lot but many of the lower leaves were brown and looked like they were suffering from some kind of fungus. I realize that they aren't getting the best care there, they shove all those plants up next to each other, but I'm wondering if the high humidity we will be getting later this season will prove this plant to be a loser?? Also, I didn't realize the nematode problem with the butterfly bush, I bought one a week ago and put it in the ground, should I get a pot to put it in??

Those sure are pretty! I don't have any and I am looking to get some, too.

Here's a blast to the past - 2008 forum posting about these plants (see link below).

Note that these plants are also called Figleaf Hollyhock and the botanical name is 'Alcea ficifolia'.

Carol in Jacksonville

Here is a link that might be useful: Vietnamese Hollyhock Question...Tony or Anyone??

I know the single flower form holds up for my friend, in Orlando, through the summer. I have a plantlet of it as well. So maybe I'll be able to compare the two. It appears I will have tons of seeds for the double form, so I will most definitely share.

Tom, it is lavender. Can't remember what kind. I bought 3 different kinds and lost 2 of them. I bought them at a USF sale.

Oh good. I'm glad it wasn't just me killing butterfly bushes. I have figured out that they like tons of water. I've also noted that I never see a butterfly on the white one! My purple one is not blooming yet and I have that one in a pot as it is floppy.

I have the seeds and can share with you guys

Thanks Tina 101, I have VH seeds too....

Tom, it is lavender. Can't remember what kind. I bought 3 different kinds and lost 2 of them. I bought them at a USF sale.

Interesting, when you touch the leaves does it smell at all like rosemary?

My purple buddleia is blooming well and the butterflies are loving it. I put in the white, gold and pink and had similar results to yours, they don't seem to care for any of these much, and these plants don't seem to be as hardy as the purple.

Tom

Lol, Tom....no, it doesn't smell like Rosemary since it is lavender. The flowers are classic lavender flowers.

Thanks for the info on the buddleias. My other one is lavender and isn't in bloom yet. Lowes has the dark purple ones right now. Maybe I'll grab one.

Lol, Tom....no, it doesn't smell like Rosemary since it is lavender. The flowers are classic lavender flowers.

Thanks for the info on the buddleias. My other one is lavender and isn't in bloom yet. Lowes has the dark purple ones right now. Maybe I'll grab one.

Lowes has the dark purple ones right now. Maybe I'll grab one.

I would, butterflies seem to know the difference between naturals and hybrids ;-)

Tom