Hollyhocks

I've been inspired to paint hollyhocks lately. They start out humbly at the back of the garden , just mostly gangly stems and lettuce like leaves~

and before long, they are stealing the whole show. Kind of like sunflowers do, except hollyhocks are more girly.

There have even been books written about what to do with the blossoms and seed heads,

make dolls of course!

Dogs find they are a good place to seek some shade when summer starts to come on stronger

I prefer the old fashioned single petal variety

Nantucket wonderfulness. If they can grow here, where its surrounded by the sea and sometimes windy and foggy, they can make it almost anywhere.

In town, too. Do they grow where you live?

I've got a hollyhock cup to give away to a random commenter, pinched and porcelain and just right for sipping tea or wine from while you admire your own stand of flowers, or pour over seed catalogs picking out the best colors and perfect spot for the 'Althea Rosea'

Against that back fence maybe?

xx

julie

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com