I bought my hollyhock as a small plant with no instructions from a local garden centre in the spring two years ago. I stuck it in the ground at the back of a bed with a bit of compost to give it a good start and watered it weekly if there was little rain for a while.

The first year it didn't do brilliantly, suffering badly from rust and slugs, but despite the tatty leaves, it produced a hugely tall plant (over 5') with lots of stunning flowers in late summer. I learnt quickly that hollyhocks definitely need supporting - I tied mine to the fence it was next to as it was threatening to fall over with the weight of the blooms. After the flowers finished, I cut it right back to the ground and crossed my fingers....

The next year it duly shot up from nothing to its former 5'-plus height and produced an even more stunning flower display. It didn't suffer at all from rust, presumably as it was better established, but the dreaded slugs attacked it again so the leaves were still a bit tattier than I would have liked.

So far then, we have a plant that is highly attractive to slugs and needs some support when it reaches its impressive heights, but is apparently as tough as old boots. I'm trying a copper barrier round the base of the plant this year in an attempt to keep the slugs off - I'll tell you how it goes!

Learn more about this author, Beverley Williams.
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