Hollyhocks

It was a 40 minute drive to the barn and wasting time in the car was not fun, I would drive as fast as I could to get there. But I always slowed down as a passed this one house, especially in the spring. The house and surrounding property were lovely in their own right but what made it stand out for me was the riot of color I saw in the spring. The hollyhocks were everywhere. They grew right up to the road, so close that when there was a bit of wind it looked like they were waving to the motorists.

This inspired me to one day have hollyhocks. That one day started last year. I bought five bare root tubers from Walmart. The are an old-fashioned favorite and maroon in color. They got planted outside my back door, next to the house where it was just a blank white wall. They all started to grow, resisting the constant motion of the dogs walking to the door. Their leaves were broad and each day they inched towards the sky. It was still early spring so the buds had not begun to show, but in a month I should have some glorious color and the start of my hollyhock garden.

My parents came to visit and my Dad was helping me weedeat. He was enjoying my lightweight electric weedeater! I rounded the corner just in time to see him start weedeating my hollyhocks! "Stop, Dad!" I yelled, running towards him. He turned around in confusion. I just stood there and stared at four weedeated hollyhocks. After I came out of my stupor I explained to him that these were not weeds but hollyhocks that I had intentionally planted. My dad was very apologetic and I can understand why he thought they were weeds. I did have some pretty big weeds growing. Weeds seems to take over in a drought, oh well, back on track.

At least one of the plants didn't get touched by the weedeater.,so I had hope of some color later. And like I had predicted in a month I had some beautiful maroon hollyhocks; except now it was only one plant. But it gave me hope for the next spring. The weedeated hollyhocks were still alive but they never got over a foot tall that year.

This year I have had more hollyhocks come back then what I planted. My one hollyhock plant produced a lot of seeds. I tried to capture most of them so that I could give them to friends and start some indoors. This spring I made sure that no one but me weedeated by the back door. I added some more seeds of different varieties, (I am trying to get the wild hollyhock flower feeling going). So far those hollyhocks have not made an appearance, but they are in an area where the wild strawberries like to grow. So we will see if they come up.

I have started a Peaches and Cream variety with double blooms in the house at the end of May. They are growing and in a few months time they should be ready to go outside.

I just love the tall stalk of color and the fact that they come back year after year. If I had my way my house would be surrounded by hollyhocks, at least the full sun portions. :)