Best to admire these beauties from afar... Hollyhocks have no fragrance, so there's no need to put your nose up close and take a whiff.
Besides... you might be surprised who's hanging out in there!
Did you know that Bumble Bees prefer high altitudes? Perhaps that's why I prefer them. A big, docile, tank of a bee who is absolutely delighted with my Heirloom Hollyhocks.
Look at these guys! Covered in pollen, flitting from flower to flower, having the time of their lives. Kind of how I'd behave ~ if you turned me loose in a chocolate factory.
Hollyhock time, as I like to call the month of August, has signified my favorite time in the garden ever since I was a child.
The Hollies Mom planted would grow into a gigantic flowering forest! The ideal escape for a little girl with an over-active imagination.
I call them 'heirlooms' because these single flowering, 6-7 foot tall, cottage garden beauties are offspring from the same seeds Mom planted way back when.
I've planted them everywhere I've lived for the past 20 years.
And, I'd like to spread the love! So every autumn I give away Hollyhock seeds.
Want some? Just leave a comment, with your email, or send me an email.
And, here's another fun fact. The big bumbles sleep in these flowers.
Yup! I've seen it, time and time again. Come nightfall, they cozy up in those petals and settle down for a nap.
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4 comments:
Oh yes, please! I too love the big friendly bees, who bumble so slowly (and oh-so-contently!) in my high-elevation garden. Those hollies are gorgeous, and I would really enjoy sharing them with the fuzzy-butts up here at 7,000' in Flagstaff, Arizona. Thank you for your generosity - you already share so much more than seeds! I appreciate your words, your beautiful photos, and your knowledge about gardening in a very challenging environment. You give me both hope, and inspiration (and a laugh now and again!). May I message you my mailing address?
Eileen
Oh, thank you. That is very kind of you to say. Every spring, we're in Flagstaff ~ for a week of horseback riding in your beautiful back country!
Plz email me here kate.miller57@gmail.com and I'll send you some goodies in October, when seeds are harvested. :D
Hi Kate,
I would love some holli seeds. I will be starting my garden in Park City from scratch next spring and it would be great to have some local heirloooms to get started with. I have come from the sub-tropics of Queensland, Australia so I will have so much to learn...
I just want to live in your garden. I come to this blog frequently just to look at all your pictures. It's like, relaxing just to look. I would love to have some seeds - I'd even pay you for mailing them.
rebekahjohnson81@hotmail.com
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