Normally, I would post these photos on my photography blog, Daisy's Photography. However, since I got these hollyhocks seeds from my friend and fellow blogger Tami at Just One More Thing... in Nebraska, I figured this was the place for this post.
We have hollyhocks!! I love hollyhocks, especially these old-fashioned single ones. Besides being beautiful, they are taller than me! I love that about them.
The hollyhock plant is a biannual. That means it needs two full growing seasons to bloom. I planted these last year and have waited since then to see the blooms. They are so gorgeous that it was well worth the wait.
When we got the first blooms, I assumed that the rest would be the same colour. Not. However, I couldn't be more thrilled. What a great variety!
Pink with light pink tips and purplish centres:
Pink:
White tips with purple centres:
Purple:
They have been blooming for 3-4 weeks now and it looks like they'll probably be going for a bit yet. You'll notice in the photos below that they are surrounded by chicken wire. As it turns out, deer love hollyhocks. I didn't know that until one morning when I woke up to find that one plant had been munched on, the whole side and top were missing. No way, no how were the deer going to eat these guys. The "fence" went up that day.
Here's a shot from July 15:
The same hollyhocks this morning, August 4:
Aren't they awesome? We love them so much, we've planted two more small patches so we'll have blooms again next year (hopefully.)
I am so jealous. I've tried to grow hollyhocks several times but never had any luck. Maybe I'll try it again. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Wendy. I, too, tried a few times previously. However, my previous attempt were the double hollyhocks, the ones where the blooms are so heavy that the whole plant just falls over. I like these ones much better.
DeleteBy the way, I won't consider this a complete success until they self-seed themselves in this location. I'm hoping that's how it works. That's another reason that I planted more seeds this year...just in case they don't.
I can't believe I missed this post! Your hollyhocks are gorgeous! It's so exciting to see that they made the trip all the way north and are blooming.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that they are biannnual. I just assumed we didn't get any last summer because of the awful drought. :) I'm obviously not a horticulturist.
I plan to save seed this year and start some other spots also.
Happy gardening!