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My Hollyhock Obsession

June 19, 2009 by Jeanne


With each passing season, I grow obsessed with a different plant. In spring it was the iris, and I vowed to add more. Then came my peonies, and I considered adding even more plants to the flower garden.

Now it’s the hollyhocks.

I’ve never grown hollyhocks before. Last year, we planted some from roots that came with the Spring Hill Gardens Sunny Perennial kits, but they sent up leaves and no flowers. I understand that they are biennials, so I had to be patient. I also bought seeds at the dime store and sowed a little patch of them.

This year – pure heaven. Majestic spires of pristine white mingling with deep blood rich crimson against my yellow daisies. Soaring double pompoms of pink backed by single pinks and yellows, and double yellows that look like cheerful carnations.

According to the book The Language of Flowers, hollyhocks stand for fruitfulness. And I’m not the first writer to become obsessed with them. Celia Thaxter wrote the following in her book about her garden hollyhocks: “One enormous hollyhock grew thirteen feet high! At night, the lights from one window illumined him as he swayed to and fro in the wind, a stately column of beauty and grace. A black-red comrade leaned against him and mingled its rich blossoms with his brighter color, and near him were rose, pink and cherry, and white spikes of bloom, lovely to behold.”

My thoughts exactly.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bangchik and Kakdah

    June 19, 2009 at

    Worth the wait for such beautiful flowers…. 2 years.!

    ~ bangchik

  2. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)

    June 19, 2009 at

    Hi Jeanne

    Now this is a good obsession to have.

    Hollyhocks are grown everywhere over here. Many seed themselves about.

    When I’ve grown them before, sadly they’ve succumbed to ‘rust'(sigh), yet very nearby they are a picture of health with no help from the gardener at all.

    Yours look great.

    Rob

  3. keewee

    June 20, 2009 at

    I too like Hollyhocks, but the few I have are no where near flowering.

  4. Jeanne

    June 20, 2009 at

    Ah guys, I can only hope they take over my yard! No rust on them, but the Japanese beetles are now emerging and are eating everything…including hollyhock leaves. Hopefully we will get a few more weeks of joy from them. Thank you all for stopping by and leaving comments!

  5. KarenJewel

    June 20, 2009 at

    I have hollyhocks in the corner of my yard. They have taken over that corner with full joy and abundance. I am encouraging their trek across the yard. What an image they will be, when they are all in bloom in spots all across the yard!

  6. Colleen Wms

    June 20, 2009 at

    A few years back, I started many perennials from seed in peat pots in Winter. Hollyhocks were some. They bloomed the 1st, 2nd & maybe the 3rd. The 1st year I expected them to easily self seed. 2nd year when I realized that didn’t happen 4me, only the one main plant or two, I started breaking the seed pods around. Last year I got serious about replanting these hollyhock seeds. Good thing. The original plants are just GONE this year. But I do have quite a few babies scattered all around the pool garden that I really hope will take. I did try moving some babies last year & they have a seriously long taproot.
    I think we might be able to plant their seeds outside here in the Fall in VA. I always forget by then though.
    Keep the pix coming and have a great day!

  7. Tatyana

    June 21, 2009 at

    Hi Jeanne! I have the same problem with this plant as Rob – rust. Maybe because my plants are old fashioned? I guess they created new types that are more rust-resistent? Your hollyhocks are charming!

  8. Avis

    June 26, 2009 at

    They are very beautiful. Funny how there’s always something that draws us in. My obsession is my heirloom tomatoes. Cheers!

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