Hollyhocks are tall, rigid stemmed plants with spikes of stunning, open trumpet shaped flowers that bloom through summer and autumn in a wide variety of colours.
Foliage is roundish in shape and rough surfaced mid green - but you don't grow these for their leaves!!
They make the perfect tall backdrop to a colourful cottage border or bed and are quite frost hardy - though the colder the winters the more likely they will be short lived.
There are many hybrids on the market with some producing very full, double flowers.
The Halo series have been bred to resist rust which is a common fungal problem with Hollyhocks. Halo hybrids are often self-supporting, needing no stakes and they also will thrive in less than full sun - all in all a very useful plant.