Hollyhocks

Lovely! I have red ones and yellow ones this year but they are still only about 2 feet tall. Very slow now that the temps have dropped again. 12C here today.

It's been quite sunny and warm here today Karen not as hot as it was last week ,the sun heats this wall up which may make a difference ,I have a nice almost black hollyhock on the other side of this wall ...

Sounds lovely! X

Fantastic show Amy my favourite cottage garden plant.

I have a fondness for them 3p I suppose its that image of old fashioned country cottage look ...

Same here Amy only tried to grow them once and slugs and snail had them .

How lovely and so healthy looking, why do mine all get terrible rust? Do you treat yours with anything Amy?

Thanks Resinone , unfortunately they do get rust I just pull the horrid leaves off , I don't like to use sprays if I can help it ...

Love, Hollyhocks. Mine just showing colour.

Thers something about them that grabs my heart in the same way as some soses do, and trees as well. :)

Whooooo Amy, gorgeous

Thanks :o))

Ahhhh! now I know where the lovely red one I have came from... I just love them. Have a clump growing in an old driveway where the steps to the greenhouse used to be. they seem to love dry and stony ground. They have to be at least 7 ft. tall. the ones I planted in my putative "garden" are only 3 ft. tall! thank you Amy! and that's a fig growing behind them, right? I have a Chicago Fig that has been struggling along with me for three years now. I thought it was dead from over-wintering in my porch but this spring with the sun and moisture it's got leaves. I put it in the greenhouse recently and that's done the trick. New growth and lots of it! Is it espaliered on that lovely wall?

I believe I did send you some seed Lori , they do thrive best in hard stony ground these are on the edge of the drive leading up to the garage its all gravel and hard ground ...
Yes it's a fig a Brown Turkey its growing against the wall its set in a 2 x 2 ft concrete paving slab box below ground which keeps it contained I very rarely water it it seems to thrive on neglect ... lovely figs as well , I hope yours thrives and supplies you with figs a-plenty :o)

I re-potted the fig this afternoon, Amy. I don't remember all the facts I read about it a couple of years ago..getting old and forgetful. will have to read up again. The Turkish Fig must be quite hardy too? I didn't remember about the roots, but when I took it out of the pot it had come through the drainage holes and wrapped itself around and around. I had to use shears to cut the bottom out of the pot. I didn't prune the roots beyond the breakage from removing it from the pot. should I have, do you think?

I don't think it will have done any harm Lori , in my book it says if you can't construct a Fig pit ( which I have ) and have it in a pot it will need re-potting every 2-3 years , do this in late winter planting it very firmly ,regular watering is essential as the tree has restricted growth ,the root ball must never be allowed to dry out etc. good luck ...

Thanks for that, Amy. until you mentioned it, I had never heard of a fig pit. I'm ashamed to admit, and I've repotted it in summer. oh dear... hope that doesn't mean I've ruined it's chances. with all these blunders I think it might need some good luck. :-( It has some lovely new leaves though and seems to have a bit more bulk to the trunk.
Hollyhocks still in bud... same with my briar rose... We've had two days of sun so I hope this brings them on.

Fingers crossed it will be fine Lori , the new leaves indicate its happy and flourishing ... the fig pit is made by 4 2x2 concrete slabs making a box which contains the roots ,obviously this is permanently growing outside which may not be possible for you due to your extremely long cold winters ..
We're expecting a storm I can hear the thunder grumbling in the distance ... I like a good storm providing nobody is in danger ,I sit on the front porch watching the lightening flashes followed by the thunder ....

The Chicago Fig is supposedly hardy to minus 10 F..which is what?... minus 20-30 Centigrade? I should be able to plant it outdoors. I'm chicken. I don't want to lose it. Fruit, golf ball size, first year after planting! I think I'll continue to bring it indoors at the onset of winter. My porch isn't that warm.
There's something very invigorating about the air after a good storm... ozone? anyway it's one of life's little pleasures to sit and watch the brooms of rain sweep the trees and the fields clean! The thunder and lightening are the momentary drama. the last storm we had I watched three large poplars uprooted on the hillside. That's a little too close for comfort!

Amy , your look rust free I have tried a couple of times even with seeds but they get rust everytime

Gg

Do you write books Lori ? you should you have a marvelous way of describing events ,I would read you :o) Mine do get rust Andy I pull the nasty leaves off :o)..