As you can see we inherited some Hollyhocks. And what fabulous specimens they are too! With all the rain and generally rubbish weather we’ve had up until now Robert and I have let the garden take a back seat. We’ve focused on getting the plants we arrived with out of the pots and trying to keep the lawn short. We’ve failed at the lawn bit but the plants are now in the ground.
This means that a lot of the garden has not been tended to at all. On one hand this is pretty worrying because the weeds are as tall as my children but on the other it means that I have been unable to ‘tackle’ the garden with my usual vigor and inadvertently pull up something I’d regret later. The garden has lived long enough to show us what it is we’ve inherited, and there really is quite a bit that I’m in love with.
Namely these Hollyhocks. They’re so tall, almost as tall as the weeds.
It’s nice to have something to build around such as these. They add height and a certain sense of soft structure, if there is such a thing. When I was very young my worst nightmare was traipsing round gardens. Now of course they inspire me like nothing else and I immediately come home and get the trowel out or start imagining a new nook somewhere.
I think it’s safe to say that the Hollyhocks will be staying. In fact there are clues all over this garden, emerging from under poorly placed hedges, that this place was loved and tended to and thought about in a very ‘English Country Garden’ way. The clues are in the plants that have survived previous owners. Hydrangea, lilac, sedum, hollyhocks, roses etc.
I saw an aerial picture of this house that was taken about fifty years ago and there were steps leading down to the front that are now covered in cement. Right where this hollyhock is actually. The picture was taken in the days when the road out front wasn’t quite as busy so I know why previous inhabitants felt the need to shield themselves somewhat from the cars but it doesn’t drown out any noise if the truth be told because the house is raised up on a slight hill. The noise just goes right over the top so I think Robert and I will be heading down the road of fence to divide the house and garden from the road with neat, shiny and TALL laurel growing along it. A few choice trees will stay but some of the large bushes are not making us feel good, so they’ll go.
Candy stripes. Little miracles, they dress better than I do in their natural state and I have a choice, daily!!
An army of them, tall, outside the front. I don’t want to lose them but I do want to work around them. I’ve a feeling next summer I’ll be loving it even more. The exterior of the house will be white by then too so they’ll look even brighter against it.
Morning shade.
And my perpetual buddies.
I walked outside early the other morning and they were silent so I sang the opening lines to Good Mornin’ from Singing in the Rain. I’m not kidding, the chorus of bleating that came back to me was not pleasant in any way. I was clearly being told to “PIPE DOWN”. So I did. I’m not messing with West Sussex sheep let me tell you!
I love you and thank you so much for reading.
Cherry x
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Did anyone see your post just before this one? Entitled “This week I have loved”. I only spotted it by chance and wondered if othere missed it too as I was the only one to comment on such an uplifting post.
Yes,I love hollyhocks, too. I especially like the single ones such as you have.
They can be very hard to find here in my part of the US. The doubles have their place, too, but I really only like the singles. They remind me of my Grandma Nora. I used to help her in her enormous flower and vege garden long, long ago when I was a little girl. Fond memories of hollyhocks. And..of course I made dancing ladies out of the flowers and buds. Have you shown the twins how to do that, Cherry?
No, I haven’t. Please tell me how to do that!! Cx
Well, first you take a pretty bloom that has opened all the way and then you pick a tightly closed bud. Try to leave a little stem on the bud so you can poke it into the underside of the open bloom in the part where it was attached to the plant. Then hold it bud side up and there you have it! A little lady with a big skirt. As I recall, we would also find two little green strips on the skirt part and gently pull them up so the lady had arms. I hope your cuties find these amusing!
What a wonderful surprise..and i am very jealous of your view every morning with all those white puffy adorable sheep to look at..I am so looking forward to seeing what you have plan for your new home..thanks so much for sharing it with us..huggs
devon
Mine have reseeded evey year and changed color as well from pink to maroon. They are susceptible to rust so as soon as it shows up, take off the offending leaves, don’t compost but put on burn pile. Foxgloves also reseed. Volunteers are the best gifts from where or whom we may never know!!
Hi Cherry, Well- for an untended garden it’s certainly doing a good impression of a looked after one!!! I certainly enjoyed your hollyhocks – I must stop procrastinating and get on and do something with my pots that’s not just annuals (most of my garden is grass) and not on a scale I can do much with – but some lovely flowers to look out on on these sunny days would be a real treat! J9 x
Ahh, they are too gorgeous, I am definitely going to plant me some Hollyhocks in my new garden ~ moving to a new home early next year ~ I love the candy stripe flower, just beautiful xP
I love Hollyhocks too. You can’t beat them for some height in the border. Unfortunately I only seem to be able to grow the ones that get rust on the leaves-not sure why & I’m blaming it on my water retaining clay soil. Anyone know a good variety that doesn’t get rust?
Beautiful Cherry! !!!! Have a great day
Oh I just love he fifth photo, with all the light.
Sunshine like that just warms my heart
xx
I grew some hollyhocks from seed two years ago. This year they are flowering, but turned out to be almost black! Not too keen! Note to self… check the seed packet! Yours are very pretty, you’re lucky the slugs didn’t munch them all up!
ooh I do like a nice hollyhock, swaying in the breeze rx
Hello Rachel, nice to see you here! I think you’re lovely. Cx
Hi Cherry, I do like to lurk and on the occasion that I comment I like to do it twice
) rx
Oooh I do love a nice hollyhock, swaying in the breeze rx