Planting Hollyhocks (a love letter to Wyona and Miranda)

In my mind, hollyhocks are back alley flowers.  That was the place I would see them when I was growing up -- seemingly growing up out of the gravel, up against back fences.  I always figured they must be weeds. Tall and sturdy stock, bursting with flowers. Not the kind of flower you can secretly pick one of and bring home.  Much to big for hiding behind your back as you sprint the last few house lengths home to your backyard. 

Here on my side of the country, you never see hollyhocks.  We don't have back alleys and they are rarely a favourite flower planted in flower beds. People favour planintg their more delicate tall cousin, the delphinium.

But when I was back in Alberta for the past two years, living in Lethbridge, back alley hollyhocks were front and centre again and I realized how much I loved them. And now that I am older I know that if you steal the flower, you will enjoy it but it will soon die. On the other hand, if you steal some seed pods, maybe you can plant you own hollyhock haven.  And so often when was out walking my dog in the fall and winter, I would look for the dried up stalks of holly hocks and help myself to some seed pods.  Into my pocket they would go.

When I was in Calgary visiting Wyona, I saw that she had beautiful white hollyhocks in her front garden bed and I asked her if I could take some seeds.  She of course said yes.  So months later, when I was back visiting again and hollyhock flowering season had passed and all that was left were brown stalks and seed pods, I slipped some into my pocket.  Same thing for Miranda who has a bed of double flower pink hollyhocks in her backyard.  Seed pods into my pockets.

I brought all these seeds back to Gatineau with me this year.  And a few weeks ago pulled them out to plant them indoors to  give them a head start on the growind season.

I had no clue how fast the hollyhock seeds would grow.  They are up there with pea shoots. In less than a week tiny green shoots were poking through the dirt.

Only one of the seed varietals wanted to grow.  So in the boxes where the seeds didn't grow, I planted some new ones.  I can't wait to see what colours of hollyhocks survived and grew.  I am hoping for Wyona's White and Miranda's Double Pink to be growing tall and flowering in my front yard this season. I promise to keep you posted.