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Hollyhocks are tall and stately, majestic even as they tower high above the other flowers in your garden. Your love of them began simply enough when you purchased a small package of seeds for less than a dollar, thinking they might make a great backdrop and cover up that unsightly wall. You planted them in late summer, and watched as they began to grow throughout the fall. Your warmer climate gave you reason to wait until the heat of summer had passed, and the temperatures would readily accommodate such beauty.

By late winter, your hollyhocks were in full bloom and you could barely see that unsightly wall due to their dense foliage. You watched as birds and insects enjoyed their shade and nectar. You smiled to yourself knowing these were amazing plants, not only because they were beautiful, but also because they had a built in protection element to their greenery.

Hollyhocks are a little bit bristly, and they tend to cause an itch when you handle them if you're not careful. Those thick, hollow stems aren't merely for show. They are strong and sturdy, and they attract ants that move soil in, out, and all around their roots, free aerating if you will. The ants rarely seem to harm the plants, but they certainly protect their territory, should you decide to gather flowers for your table.

As the spring delights you with perfect swimming weather, your glorious hollyhocks have come into full maturity. Blooms are beginning to fade, wither and fall. Caterpillars are munching incessantly on their leaves preparing to make cocoons, and the plants, still quite sturdy, begin to look a little straggly. You sense the change of seasons, as those vibrant green stalks mute their intense color, changing to a softened shade of brown.

By late spring there are pods where the flowers used to be, and they are full and strong, protected by an outer sheath. Inside is a ring of tiny hollyhock seeds, growing and preparing for next year's extravaganza. You wait ever so patiently. These pods, carrying the seeds of next year's bounty, must reach maturity through death in order to live as new plants. The older plants must remain intact and allowed to die completely in the heat of summer.

Throughout the warmth of spring and onslaught of extreme high temperatures, you check your hollyhock pods. They have filled the stocks of your previous plants; some have opened and reseeded themselves. Others have been carried away by nature, be it insect, animal, or wind. Finally it is your turn to gather pods that have naturally died to give birth to the next generation. You gather a few to share with friends. Growing hollyhocks in warmer climates has come full circle, and you smile looking forward to another season's beauty.

Learn more about this author, M. J. Joachim.
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