I was cleaning out my garden notebook this morning and found a picture of the 'first bed' in 2004. In 2003 it was a huge plant and stay green all thru the winter, even with 2 inches of snow bending the large stems over in Feb 2004. It would have been taller in this picture but the snow had permanently bent the stems over and in May when this picture was taken it hadn't caught up, but the plant had thickened and spread. There are also Snapdragons, a Lavender, Mealy Sage, some Lilies, Blackeyed Susans and Rambo's back.
A nice, colourful corner indeed. I can't help thinking the hollyhocks must be fairly tough to thrive after that treatment.
Netty, they are a Mallow, Mallow, French Hollyhock Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina' aka Alcea Zebrina Droopy, I have several of them that came up back in the fall when we had rain and even after several nights of 25-35 degree temps during the last 3 months they are still like they were in November. Not growing all that much yet but still alive and ready to take off when spring arrives. I also have some standard Hollyhocks that were transplanted into the ground in October that are still green and hanging in there. And they will come up everywhere after the birds and wind spread the seeds around, but I love them.
Toni, that is one of my all time favorites! This week there where four blooms on my malva! Those are the first ones I've seen since planted last May.
What a pretty little corner. Such nice colours. It's a good group of different plants, isn't it. How did you come to select them? Got any more piccies, Toni?
Toni, that is a very pretty corner you have set up,, expecally the black of Rambo's back adds that neutral grounding all sections need. great pic!!! I guess i would be safe to say that hollyhocks don't stand a chance up here. our temps do get colder than 25F. plus we get more than 2 inches of snow if Old Man North Wind decides to just sneeze. Those would look so good down on the field near the showers and bathrooms.
That is an interesting corner. I like the ladder feature. SO petite the leaves trailing up on it and the flowers look so dainty and pretty. Lovely corner.
Hollyhocks are biennial. Although I can never get them to grow lol, I see them in other people's gardens. And we get over 100 in of snow a yr and temps way below 25F. I have Swamp Mallow in both lt purple and white. It looks like "Sidalcea". Nice plant, but can get overly weedy. I yank more than I leave in the garden
I just noticed your bird bath is built from Terra Cotta pots Toni...what a great idea! I think I'll have to try that!
Netty, the pots can be painted and decorated too but I like the plain look. I got the idea years ago from a TV gardening program called Rebecca's Garden. I have also made birdbaths by glueing terra cotta plant trays to upside down strawberry pots. Frank, I had to pull the hollyhocks up last spring because of a rust problem, there are some coming up, but I now have Lemon Balm and Lilies there along with the Blackeyed Susans, some black Iris. Sjoerd, that combination of plants happened because I bought the plants and had no other garden area at that time to put them in. I had not made the big bed in the middle of the yard yet so they had to go somewhere and I loved the look of them all around the birdbath. The Lavender had to be moved, not enough sun there.
The whole thing is great! I like the "flower corner idea" and love the birdbath! What is the basin made of? I have a similar mallow plant in one of our corners but it isn't getting enough sun :'( Biita you need to try hollyhocks, what's the worst that can happen? We don't get as cold as you but we get a lot of snow and it doesn't seem to harm the 'hocks. Black hollyhock seeds are what brought me to "The Stew" Piano Lady was kind enough to send me some summer before last. That means they should bloom big & pretty this summer!! Deanna :-D
Love the hollyhocks. I've only grown them years ago and every year I say I'll plant more but I always forget. The bird bath looks very sturdy, in addition to being attractive. I like creative things like that.
