ericd Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Hi all. My mother planted plenty seeds of this lovely looking flower 3 years ago (I hope the translation is correct http://dictionnaire.reverso.net/francais-anglais/rose%20tr%C3%A9mi%C3%A8re )Very few have come up and those that have are only in leaves but no flower. On the island of Noirmoutier where she lives, they grow out of the pavement .....Seeds were planted all around the house so they have every kind of exposure.What am we doing wrong? Thanks for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 HollyHock, with an H, Eric.They are lovely. I have seen them in Noirmoutlier town, growing through the tarmac - but have never managed to get them going at home, so that is good news that you have some leaves.The reason you have only leaves this year is that hollyhocks are biennials, and will flower in the second year after planting. So give them time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 In addition, seed germination can be rather erratic - as advised on the seed packet I bought. Most of those in our garden are self seeded, but since we seem to gain perhaps half a dozen plants per year, but a single flower head has probably a hundred seeds, this gives some idea of the germination success rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 If it's any consolation, Eric, we can't grow them either.Yet, just over the road, there are lovely ones that come up and are as tall as I am, with a lovely variety of purples and pinks.I am told that they grow like weeds.........well, our garden is full of weeds but, alas, no hollyhocks. I like them a lot too and they seem to be a nice, easy way to get flashy flowers in the garden with little need for care or even water.OTOH, we do have pieds d'allouette and they are also tall and flowering like hollyhocks but they are on quite a smaller scale altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericd Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Well, they have flowered and getting big (except where we wanted it to be in that little corner spot by the entrance gate ) .... a mind of its own it has, a mind of its own I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I've got them too, Eric! Well, TWO, a pink one and a deep red[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I haven't seen hollyhock for many years. One of our neighbours on the estate at Sunderland where I grew up had the most magnificent specimens for years, certainly at least until I left the area around 1967. They seem to be one of the many plants that went out of fashion, but I find them beautiful. I remember that they suffered from rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 They are generally said to be biennials, but I have one which I have grown from seed and whilst remaining small seems to be about to flower in its first year. It is in a pot for planting in the autumn or when the weather is a bit damper.My question then is whether this plant will act as a biennial and come up again next year, having flowered now, or will it pretend it is an annual and die? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 They are generally considered as biennials as you say but are in fact short lived perennials. There is no reason therefore why your pot plant should not flower again next year provided it is replanted in good conditions and is not hit by excessive frosts over the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Thank you andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Visit the Charente Maritime. Hollyhocks everywhere but they have a will of their own and just grow where it suits them, as others have said. Talmont sur Gironde in particular has masses of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 We live in 'allée des Roses Trémières', and since there are loads of them everywhere in town, including growing through the pavements, we thought we'd grow some. Not really successful at all as they're very straggly and rusty so if it wasn't for the road name I'd give up on them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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