Wednesday, May 4, 2011

My First Hollyhocks

I have always wanted to grow hollyhocks and tried to do so in New Hampshire, with no success at all. New Mexico, however, seems to be made for them. The sight of the giant plants flowering against an adobe wall just warms my heart.

Well, here we are: Moved to New Mexico (check); got some adobe walls (check); got some blooming hollyhocks (check).

These flowers, however, are shown against our utilitarian cyclone fencing, the stuff that keeps the dogs in. The plan for someday is to have an adobe wall built across the front of the property. All in good time!

You can click each photo to enlarge it.

My friend Diane gave me the seeds last year. Growing hollyhocks, as you probably know, is a two year deal. They are biennials, growing lots of low foliage the first year, then shooting up to higher than my head and blooming in the second year

The colors shade from palest pink to a dark red. The red ones are coming out soon and I'll take more pictures. 

6 comments:

charlotte g said...

And do you know how to make hollyhawk ladies with the blossoms and buds? My mother's friend from Massachusetts taught me when I was a girl--leave some stem on the blossom and pick a bud with some color showing--peel off the green and slide the flower stem into one of the exposed slits. These float nicely in a low bowl of water....

Joyful said...

Love the hollyhocks!

Quiet Paths said...

You are living the dream! How does that make you feel? I have Hollyhocks all over the garden. I would love to see the dark red ones. Mine are pretty much like these. Be careful they will take over... :)

Sandy ~~~ said...

OOOOO, something that I can grow against my sunny adobe walls? YES! Very big and pretty!

becky said...

Nice to have some spring color, isn't it Clair? Glad your'e enjoying your hollyhcoks!
:)

Kate said...

I made "dolls" as Charlotte did as a child, but I sold them door-to-door to indulgent neighbors.

One of my favorite flowers, and an image of them I treasure is seeing them peek over the adobe wall at Georgia O'Keeffe's place in Abiquiu.