Alcea

Could there be a more archetypal cottage garden plant than Alcea or hollyhocks? The answer is: no, except these beautiful, tall border plants are enjoying a much-deserved revival, and these days are just as at home in front of a modern, or contemporary home as they are a chocolate-box cottage. Much work has taken place in the past few decades, particularly in The Netherlands, to breathe new life and colour into the humble hollyhock, and now you can enjoy the benefits of this work.

There are more than 80 species of Alcea, and they sit firmly in the beautiful mallow family. There are annuals, biennials and short-lived perennials, and all are native to Asia and Europe. Almost the complete hollyhock colour spectrum is available from Farmer Gracy: from the mixed shades (pinks, creams, reds and maroons) of 'Hollyhock Mix', to the near-black of Alcea 'Nigra'. Traditionally, gardeners would sow biennial hollyhocks in summer, for flowering the following year. These days, short-lived perennial hollyhocks are easier to plant and nurture, and as they are generous self-seeders, you can be certain of many generations of hollyhocks to appear in your gardens for years to come.

Alcea are best in a sunny spot, and they are not fussy as to soil. They are ideal for beds and borders in cottage, wildlife and low-maintenance gardens. However, it would be wise to plant your hollyhocks in a spot sheltered from the strongest winds. These are tall, single-stemmed plants and, although they do not require staking, a strong gust can do them harm. Even better, these plants are pollinator-friendly and rodent-resistant (so no little mice gnawing at the stems).