Hollyhocks
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are a beloved addition to any garden, adding a touch of old-world charm and vertical elegance with their towering spires of colorful blossoms. These hardy and versatile plants can thrive in a
Hollyhock, Alcea rosea: "A Complete Cottage Garden" The sight of hollyhocks growing tall around a door or window, possibly in the Cotswolds in England, can
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I was telling my mum today about my red poppy seed plans for the fields around the house. She asked me if I had any ideas for the gardens cl...
Find Black Hollyhock (Alcea rosea 'Nigra') in Edmonton St Albert Sherwood Park Stony Plain Alberta AB at Millcreek Nursery Ltd (Althaea rosea, Arabian Nights)
The common Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) has skyward stems smothered in giant 5-inch hibiscus-like blossoms that carry a whimsical zeal of times past. Beyond the impressive dramatic height of 5 to 12 feet is Hollyhock’s magical
I can't remember a summer when I have come across so many pretty container plantings. Today's post takes a look at some of the creative handiwork of local gardeners. I'm beginning with several containers from the garden of Wayne and Carolyn Luke in Uxbridge, Ontario. This creative couple makes whimsical birdhouses using reclaimed materials as well as creations in iron, wood and concrete. From a charming little store on their property, they also sell garden artifacts and antiques (find contact information and directions to the store on their website: sunnybank.ca). The whole garden is filled with artwork they've made themselves. There is also an array of container plantings including the one you see in the opening photograph. Carolyn and Luke have a great eye for antiques. This white plant stand, filled with colorful annuals, sits adjacent to the walkway at the front of the house. Blue-green is a terrific color choice for this metal urn at the side of the house. Filled with petunias, it looks fresh and attractive. Full sun urn: 1. & 2. Petunia 3. Trailing Verbena, Verbena x hybrida white and mauve. One trend I keep seeing over and over again this summer is not just large, but positively huge container plantings like the one you see here. The rusted metal pot belonged to Carolyn's uncle in Nova Scotia and was once used to tan fishing nets. Now it has a second life as a planter. Full Sun Container: 1. Canna Lily (tall plant in the previous picture - sorry Carolyn and Luke were uncertain of the variety) 2. Swedish Ivy or Spurflower, Plectranthus forsteri Variegata (houseplant) 3. Ornamental Cabbage 4. Ivy (not shown) Another antique urn and stand. There are so many fabulous varieties of Coleus to choose from these days. Who needs flowers when foliage provides this much color? Part Shade/Full Shade Container Planting: Assorted Coleus flanked by Canna Lilies. The decorative white object in the background is another of Carolyn's vintage finds. Top Left: Coleus, Solenostemon, 'Campfire' Top right: Coleus, Solenostemon, 'Flame Thrower Spiced Curry' Bottom: Unknown variety It seems too early for this gardener to use the "f" word, but it has to be said that Coleus's fall colors make it perfect for autumnal container plantings. This urn was the dominant feature in a tiny front garden of a older home in Hamilton, Ontario. It's hard to give you a sense of scale, but the black urn on its decorative stand was massive. With its crown of curly branches, it was taller than I am (putting it in around 6')! The backdrop is dark and as theatrical as a stage curtain. The surrounding plantings are minimal allowing the huge urn to steal the scene. Full sun container planting: 1. Creeping Jenny, Lysimachia nummularia 2. Purple Heart, Setcrsea purpurea (tender perennial or houseplant) 3. Verbena 4. Purple Waffle Plant, Hemigraphis alternata 5. White Geranium Container planting in a private garden in Hamilton, Ontario Another trend I noted gardeners embracing this summer is mixing traditional annuals with houseplants. I have two examples. Part Shade to Shade container planting: 1. Alocasia 'Low Rider' 2. Wandering Jew, Tradescantia albiflora or Zebrina pendula (houseplant) 3. Sweet Potato Vine, Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie' 4. Spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum (houseplant) Urn at Brockroad Nursery My second example is an urn I saw at Brock Road Nursery in Guelph, Ontario. I visited the nursery for the first time recently and came away very impressed with the range and quality of the nursery stock. A place definitely worth checking out if you are in the Guelph area! I really liked this urn with its minimal palette of greens, white and deep chocolaty-mauve. Part Shade/Full shade urn: 1. Alocasia 'Low Rider' 2. Hosta 'Island Breeze' 3. Caladium spp. 4. Purple Waffle Plant, Hemigraphis alternata 5. Scotch Moss, Sagina subulata 'Aurea' 6. Button Fern, Pellaea rotundifolia I asked the nursery for a few tips to keep a container planting like this one looking great all summer long. Here's what Tania Marthaler, Director of Operations and Creative Development at Brock Road Nursery recommends: • Make sure it is in the proper exposure: Indirect, Low-Medium Light • Make sure it has adequate moisture: Moist, but not wet. • Remove any spent leaves or flowers as they occur. What happens to a container with a mix of perennials and tropical houseplants at the end of the gardening season? Tania offers some excellent advice how best to repurpose the plantings: " To overwinter this container we will dismantle the planting. We'll plant the perennials in the garden in early fall to give them time to establish before the first frost, repot the houseplants and take them indoors. The urn planter is not easily moved, so it will stay in place throughout the winter. We have it on a stone base, so it will not have moisture from the soil seeping into it. This helps to prevent cracking in winter." If you are investing in a large ceramic or concrete containers, you want them to last for years. I asked Tania for some general guidelines on seasonal care. "Caring for containers over the winter depends on the container. Some containers cannot be left in the garden in the winter. If a container is not frost proof, they should be emptied and over-turned or stored in a shed or garage or garage for the winter. " On to Carrie and David Brandow's garden in Guelph, Ontario. Carrie is a gardener who brings her work home with her: she makes a living growing annuals for the wholesale trade. Her own personal garden showcases the annuals she grows along with a array of perennials, trees and shrubs. David, a blacksmith who makes custom artwork and hand-crafted tools, has created all the metal work you see in the garden. I promise to show you more of their garden in future posts, but as today's topic is containers, and I am going to focus in on a few of the many containers Carrie has scattered throughout the garden. Morning Sun/Part Sun: 1. Lantana 'Evita Red' 2. Coleus 'Marble Red' 3. Floss Flower, Ageratum 'High Tide Blue' 4. Nemesia nesia 'Sunshine' (seen below) A closer look at Floss Flower, Ageratum 'High Tide Blue' & Nemesia nesia 'Sunshine' Seen here in the early morning sunlight is one of my favourite containers. It's a large wooden box filled with Coleus and other annuals. Part shade wooden box container planting: 1. Coleus 'Wasabi' 2. Coleus 'Saturn' 3. Begonia boliviensis 'Bossa Nova Red' 4. Pansy 'Cool Blue Wave' 5. Fuchsia 'Autumnale' 6. Fuchsia 'Marinka' at the sides of the box (not shown) Isn't this trio of pots terrific? That Carrie used three identical pots and repeated the plants creates impact. Together the three containers become one big, bold statement. The ceramic pots are an attractive mix of minty-green and brunt terra cotta colors. Full sun container planting: 1. Petunia littletunia 'Purple Blue' 2. Lantana 'Evita Red' 3. Nemesia nesia 'Burgundy' 4. Begonia boliviensis 'Million Kisses' 5. Dwarf Egyptian Grass, Cypress papyrus 6. Alternanthera 'Little Ruby' (dark purple foliage just barely visible at the back of this container) Bookmark this post with a Pin. I hope you've found some inspiration for your next container planting!
Los Rios District, San Juan Capistrano, 5-26-2008.
Learn how to plant and grow heavenly hollyhock plants. With tall spikes of colorful flowers, hollyhocks are a cottage garden favorite.
Hollyhocks may look romantic and old-fashioned, but they add color and drama to today's gardens. Grow them beside fences and walls or in the back of the border, where their tall stalks can reach for the sky.
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Hollyhocks are biennial plants in many climates, meaning they grow leaves the first year and flower, seed, and die the next. However, depending on their growing conditions, your hollyhocks may keep coming back as short-lived perennials....
Hollyhocks during sunset in Park City, Utah.
This biennial was the All-America Winner for 1972. The plants have beautiful 4-5" double blooms with a superb color range and will bloom the first year if started indoors. Grows to about 4 1/2 feet, so it may require some support. While technically a biennial, this one comes back year after year in our experience. 35 seeds PLANTING Alcea rosea Biennial, zone 4-8 Germination: 10-21 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 60-70ºF Seed Planting Depth: Sow on the surface and lightly cover, seeds need some light to germinate Starting Indoors: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Provide 60-70ºF soil temperature. Transplant after last frost, 18-24” apart Sowing Outdoors: Direct sow after the last frost and in the fall Growth Habit: Columnar Height and Width: 48-60" by 12-18" Spacing: 12-24" apart Light Needs: Full sun to part shade Soil Needs: Fertile, moist, well-drained Approximate days to flower from seed: Blooms in the second season Uses: Cut flowers, back border of the flower garden, cottage gardens, attracts pollinators Care: Water seedlings regularly until established. Amend soil with compost before transplanting. Cut back stems as the blooms fade, this encourages more flower production. Leave some seed pods on the plant of you would like it to self-seed.
Yesterday, I shared how our 'stay-cation' was disrupted by an air conditioning system that gave up on us. I had intended to 'put a bow' on that story at the end of my post, but I forgot and just ended the post after I talked about my card. Your messages
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This photo leaves me speechless. Isn't it stunning? via
Those of you who have followed my blog for a while will know that I have always admired hollyhocks. Satiny, crepe-paper flowers held aloft on tall, graceful stems; I have wanted to have some of these beauties in my garden for years! Hollyhocks demand a fair bit of real estate however, and I have never had a spot for them...that is until now. In the last few weeks, I have been busy digging up a bit more of our nondescript lawn and now have a spot in the sun that should be perfect for them. Hollyhocks usually act as short-lived perennials, but re-seed themselves each year. The single form are said to be more resistant to hollyhock rust and so that is what I think I will try out in my garden next summer. For now, I will content myself with admiring them in other gardens. A stand of hollyhocks at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, ON A private garden in Waterdown, ON The Royal Botanical Gardens again. Larkwhistle Gardens on the Bruce Peninsula. Have a great weekend everyone! P.S. We finally got some rain. We had a terrible thunderstorm and then it came down in buckets. The garden took a big, thirsty drink. Sadly, a number of area homes caught fire when lightening struck them and now these families are out of house. There always seems to be a little bit of bad to balance any good. My garden alphabet so far: 'A' is for Astilbe, 'B' is for Butterfly, Three 'C's, 'D' is for Delphinium, The Letters E and F , G is for Geranium and now H is for Hollyhocks
Alcea 'Fiesta Time' is somewhat unique in the world of hollyhocks and a real eye-catcher! For a real presence in the June garden, at 5...
I was at my mom and dad's the other day for a visit and of course I was drooling over her garden. Mom has an amazing green thumb and her gardens always look pretty and lush! Inspired by the beauty, I thought a few photos were in order. One of my favorite beds in Mom's yard is her Hollyhock bed. It's out on the edge of the property surrounded by cornfields and old outbuilding from the neighboring farmer they share a driveway with. It's a simple sort of bed, one I'm sure that doesn't need or get much attention. Regardless, it's one of my favorites. Two types of flowers fill the bed, Lamb Ears in the front, Hollyhocks in the back. It's the perfect combo. Hollyhocks for some reason are the essence of country life to me. Their simplicity and beauty always amazes me. I look forward to visiting every year when they are in bloom. The outbuilding that makes such a nice backdrop for the Hollyhocks is sadly not mom and dad's but the neighbors instead. Inside the three sided structure is a vintage car that has been sitting their for as long as I can remember. It's a Fleetmaster in a pretty shade of green. Don't you just love all the details on vintage car's? I hope one day this old beauty will be fixed up but until then I'll enjoy visiting her from time to time. Talk to you soon, Robin
Complete guide on how to successfully grow and care for hollyhock plants in your garden.
By Julie Christensen Hollyhocks. Even the name conjures images of red barns and white picket fences. These humble flowers were a common fixture in cottage gardens and rural farms of yesterday, where they were often planted to hide eyesores, such as an outhouse, rubble pile or decrepit shed. While you might not have an outhouse […]
Learn how to plant and grow heavenly hollyhock plants. With tall spikes of colorful flowers, hollyhocks are a cottage garden favorite.
Hollyhock, Alcea rosea: "A Complete Cottage Garden" The sight of hollyhocks growing tall around a door or window, possibly in the Cotswolds in England, can
Fred Doloresco - Hollyhocks
Did you plant a Hollyhock garden last year that is currently in bloom? Do you know how to preserve the plant and help it bloom a little bit longer this year?
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Front Hollyhocks , originally uploaded by ivoryblushroses . Several times now, I've been blessed with a visit to my Mom's friend BJ&...
Learn how to plant and grow heavenly hollyhock plants. With tall spikes of colorful flowers, hollyhocks are a cottage garden favorite.
