Do hollyhocks come back every year

To create the traditional look of an English cottage garden, knowing when to plant hollyhock seeds is a must. 

With its charming funnel-shaped flowers – which can be pink, red, purple, yellow, or white – blooming on tall stems that soar to 6ft (1.8m) or more in summer, hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are an impressive sight.

What’s more, the single-flowered varieties provide food for pollinators, such as bees, and pair well with foxgloves, bellflowers, and lupins. 

Our guide has all you need to know about when to plant these backyard beauties to fulfill your flower bed ideas and enjoy their height and color in summer and early fall. 

When to plant hollyhock seeds

Hollyhocks are best grown as biennials in order to reduce their susceptibility to a fungal disease called rust. 

‘From my perspective, hollyhocks are now classified as short-lived perennials that are often grown as biennials,’ says Jonathan Sheppard, who holds the UK national collection of hollyhocks.

‘This means they produce fl

when do you plant hollyhocks seeds

when do you plant hollyhocks bulbs