White 'Crushed Silk' Hollyhock

I sowed some "Crushed Silk" hollyhock seeds last autumn with hope that I can see them growing tall and show me many display of flowers like I see in postcard for cottage garden pictures. But this novice gardener did not realised how long will she have to wait for it to flower or grow. At least 7 months (grown from seed)! Since it is our first attempt at growing them and I strategically don't know which best spot to grow them in our  garden so hollyhock plants were randomly planted in the garden. So this is our only hollyhock plant that is blooming. I guess this is the best spot. At other spot no flower stalk appearing only big green leaves which I have to be careful because hollyhock easily succeptible to rust desease.

I am quite surpise to watch that this plant can stay upright without any assisatance even though it is currently taller than its sunflower neighbours. Can it be because the size of flower make them not heavy like the sunflower flowers.

I like this variety. I usually see only the single layer variety when I walk around my neighbourhood.

I wish the hollyhock plants that I grow along the wall near the living room window can give me a show like this picture I shot at Beerenberg farm. But they just above my knee high. Hollyhock is bienniel, do you think it will bloom in autumn for us ? Or should I give up on them.  They were affected by rust when we had many rains last month but I took out all the affected leaves and now it is healthy green again with many new leaves. I do hope the other hollyhock plant that I planted especially the ones near the living room window will bloom like the picture in the seed packets with different colour of blooms.

I like this hollyhock flower colour that I saw in Beerenberg farm. I spy wether I can get any seed from it but no mostly young buds.

We have 40 degree Celcius during the day almost everyday now and the flowers are finishing their blooms. Time to collect the seeds but where and how, guessing.

The spent blooms.

I am learning how to collect the 'Crushed Silk' hollyhock seeds. Do you think I am correctly collecting the hollyhock seeds? I can't wait to see whether this seeds will germinate or not. I figure if I want it to bloom in spring, I will have to sow the seeds this coming End of March (End summer here).

"SEED WEEK" will be on the 22nd~26th of January 2011 for us to share our own experiences that is related to seeds, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes or cuttings that can be about collecting, propagating,growing them or how to keep them in top shape. It can be submission of an old post or a recent one and not limited to only one post only. In my gardening journey (well not that long yet however I am still novice), I found many joy in collecting the seeds from the one that I have planted to continue the cycle of life and watching them grow again like their parents. It fascinate me how a small seed can contain all the elements to produce such a beautiful living things for us. How like human, the seeds learn to adapt the changes in environment or the hot topic climate change. I hope we all can benefit from sharing our knowledge in this seed week. You can also submit your post earlier to me by mailing me (diana.demiyah@gmail.com) and I link it during the "SEED WEEK". I will randomly choose 5 participants for home saved-seeds give-away. I like to share my home saved-seeds to you:). Thank you I have received some early submissions. From early submissions I think of organizing it like different section for example flower and vegetable section something like that so it will be more easier to browse. I welcome early submission very much :). Open for any suggestion.

Visit Kathleen at Faded Charm the host for White Wednesday.
For Cottage Gardening ideas visit Tracie at Fishtail Cottage: Cottage Flora Thursday.