Hollyhocks are truly an old garden favorite! For many of us, hollyhocks stir up favorite memories. My Grandma Steinhauser loved her flower gardens and she had rows of hollyhocks – a blend of pale pink, dark pink, yellow and white. We had so much fun making “Hollyhock Dancing Dolls” with her and our cousins.
Grandma’s hollyhocks were singles, like these. We would take one full bloom and one bud and connect them with a toothpick. We would make some of every color and then we would have a “grand ball” where they would all dance I love these memories! Can’t you just see a bunch of little girls running around the yard twirling their dancing ladies?
Normally, hollyhocks bloom from late spring through the summer, but this year mine didn’t start blooming until August. They prefer to be planted in full sun. They will self-seed and should come back year after year.
Hollyhocks look gorgeous against a fence and create a colorful backdrop for your gardens. They are perfect for “cottage” gardens and in magazines you often see them planted near “She Sheds.”
Old-fashioned hollyhocks can grow up to 6-8 feet tall, and they may require staking to keep them from bending over, especially if they have a large number of blooms.
Hollyhocks are definitely one of my garden favorites! They are so beautiful and when I see them blooming I think of sitting outside with my Grandma making the little dancing hollyhock dolls. Enjoy!
