19 February 2010

Hollyhocks


I'll be adding them to the butterfly garden this spring if/when the snow ever melts here; I remember them from my childhood, but haven't seen them in people's gardens for decades.  Hollyhocks are reported to be a good host plant for Gray Hairstreaks, Skippers, and Painted Ladies, none of which I've ever raised.

Image credit: hand-tinted photo from ~1915, found by lovedaylemon.  Via (exclamation mark).

10 comments:

  1. The official flower of Lone Wolf and Cub. Wish they could take the Texas heat.

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  2. They are great flowers. I remember them from my childhood. Try to get some heritage varieties if you can. Colonial Williamsburg used to sell them.

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  3. There are two kinds of hollyhocks; the modern, multi-ruffled variety, and the old-fashioned single ones (such as are in the picture).

    Make sure you get the single hollyhocks.

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  4. For raising butterflies? Does it matter?

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  5. Isn't it amazing that we often think of certain species or varieties of flowers and fruits as old-fashioned? How did we arrive to a point where actual life forms are nothing more than a fad?

    That said, I have to admit my first thought upon seeing the photo was, "Oh, hollyhocks, how wonderfully old-fashioned."

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  6. When I was a girl, another girl taught me to make hollyhock dolls. I don't recall exactly how to make them - I think we used one flower for the big skirt, and tied it with something to make a waist; and the head was....I forget. Anyway, this would be fun for five minutes or so.

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  7. Zelora - here's a tutorial on how to make hollyhock dolls -

    http://yourstilniagarafalls.typepad.com/yours_til_niagara_falls/2008/06/hollyhock-doll-tutorial.html

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  8. When I was a girl, another girl taught me to make hollyhock dolls. I don't recall exactly how to make them - I think we used one flower for the big skirt, and tied it with something to make a waist; and the head was....I forget. Anyway, this would be fun for five minutes or so.

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  9. I love how they are resilient; they grow even if there is very little space and sunshine around. They come back year after year, and they are available in a lot of colors. I used to cultivate sunflowers but hollyhocks are a nice alternative.

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