Friday, May 4, 2007

Holy hollyhocks, Batman!

I love hollyhocks. The riotous color reaching to the sky! Nothing says cottage garden like a flock of hollyhocks massed against a picket fence.

I used to have hollyhocks at our old house - a dear friend have brought over some of her plants that were extras - they were plentiful and sturdy and provided a plethora of babies every spring. When we moved, I was so distracted by all the machinations of moving I completely forgot about the hollyhocks and a few special roses that we had there.

Sometimes I think about sneaking back there, in the night, wearing black and carrying a shovel . . . but something keeps me back. Probably my husband. And the thought of explaining to whoever caught me what exactly I was doing.

So I have tried two summers in a row to grow hollyhocks from seed. Nothing has sprouted. Nothing. I was suprised when I found this bag in Costco last month, and decided to take a chance on it.



It couldn't be seeds, and I knew hollyhocks didn't grow from bulbs or corms, so what was inside there? Last week, I found out.



They are a root system with a little plant starting to grow on top. Well, if I didn't kill them planting them, I should get some hollyhocks! Lots of them, I hope - there were 24 of these little guys in the package. We will see what grows.

And if they don't, well . . . maybe you will hear on the news of a woman being arrested in Edmonds, dressed all in black carrying weapons she asserted were gardening tools, professing she was just "reclaiming" her hollyhocks.

3 comments:

Niesz Vintage Home said...

I couldn't agree more...hollyhocks are the opitome of "cottage".
I've never grown them myself, I'll be anxious to hear how they do for you.

Kimberly :)

sheila from life @ #17 said...

I've never seen those Hollyhocks in a Bag before! man...I wish we had a Costco around here :)

I hope you let us know how they do for you...

Jen Kershner said...

I love hollyhocks too and will have to see if Costco still has these.

I'm glad you are going to try the blueberry recipe. Let me know what you think. You get your blueberries at Costco? I've looked there for them and not seen them. I get my strawberries there though. I'll have to look again.