Rejoice with me, fellow gardener friends! Please. Back in mid-spring, I blogged about visiting a local merchant who had this gargantuan, pitifully neglected hollyhock in the back of his property.
I asked the nice lady at the front desk if I could take seed. She was accommodating and waited until I left before rolling her eyes. When I got out there, what I discovered was even better than ripe seed, hundreds of baby plants scattered under their mum. With my heartfelt assurances that I would be an attentive caregiver, she didn't seem to object to my efforts.
Fast forward approximately six months. I admit that I was a little less than attentive at times and this is undoubtedly what caused the holdup. But no more. The first bloom burst forth on Friday.
This is the plant's silhouette about a week ago. Puffy buds were a plenty but I was beginning to think it was too late in the season to see any color.
This is Anemone japonica 'Pamina' a newbie this year thanks to garden pal Carol. It has far
exceeded my expectations.
Loropetalum chinensis rubrum 'Razzleberri.' In the shade, pink leaves mature to a mellow olive-green. Pink terminal flowers appear in spring and fall.
This is Loropetalum chinensis rubrum 'Pipa's Red.' The blossom's form and color are the same but the foliage is much darker. Loropetalum are usually smallish, compact, evergreen shrubs. Winter hardy to Zone 8. Sorry.
I took this photo today. I'm shocked that it turned out as well as it did.
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29 COMMENTS, Click here to add yours:
I do remember your Hollyhock adventure. What can I do to get mine to bloom...? I'm thinking they are going to do better here this fall??? We have Loropetalum in our town that are huge!!! I keep ours pruned. Your garden photo turned out beautifully. Are the pebbles on your path hard to walk on?
Your garden is still looking fabulous. The hollyhock was well worth the time and trouble.
Grace:
Rejoice! How wonderful to see the fruits of your labors come forth so magnificently!I am more than slightly in lust with your Loropetalum 'Pipa's Red!' Divine!
Your garden! Photo taken when??? That is absolutely amazing Grace! My last post reflects the sheer difference that geography presents for gardeners. I only wish mine looked as good!
Grace girl ... your garden is absolutely gorgeous (just like I want mine to look like .. minus my NEIGHBORS !! haha).. that is too funny about madame rolling her eyes .. snort giggle .. anyways, the object of your affection made it to your garden and looks amazing ! All of the plants do : )
BUT .. Pamina especially .. I had that beauty last year and I am totally in love with it .. but .. it didn't make it through the winter for some reason even though the tag said it would .. NAUGHTY TAG !!
I will keep trying though ... if I can find it next year .. for some reason I couldn't this year .. BIG drats to that !
Joy, a Pamina fan !
Morning Grace, What a stunner Hollyhock! Hopefully next year it will put more effort into blooms rather than roots.
We have lots of Loropetalum in our area (7b) and my favorites are the ones with the burgundy foliage to accent those hot pink blooms.
Janet
I absolutely love hollyhocks, and yours is just stunning! The color, the big flower, and blooming so late in the season -- just wonderful! Love it. And the picture of the bed altogether is so full and lush, even now, almost November. Wow!
Is this your garden? What a oasis. I have for years tugged pages out of a magazine, and this is almost what I had in mind. Now all we need is the space, and one day we will have that.
Gorgeous!
Jen
Grace, your header photo is a feast! and this photo of the garden is not too shabby either. lol Beautiful!
Oh, I love your Anemone. What a pretty she is.
Your hollyhock turned out to be so pretty and tall. Don't you love little surprises like that one a bloom when you least expect it.
Just look at all of the textures and color yet in your garden. I love the hedge but have no patience in trimming them. I use to have tall ones along my driveway and finally hacked them down after cutting off a couple of extension cords with the trimmers ;-) They were not safe for my health to keep around.
Hi Grace
More More More photo's of your garden please--just beautiful
Sue
I remember you getting the hollyhock. It does seem worth the effort! I love when you show garden pictures. Look at all the pink still blooming. I really like'Pipa's red and am writing that one down so I can remember to look for it.
lovely garden !
Good job on the Hollyhock!
Definitely worth the effort! The hollyhock is a beautiful vibrant color. I really like the Anemone too, such a vivid pink.
The shot of your garden is beautiful. A wonderful and beautifully constructed tableau of heights, colors and textures.
You must be delighted to see the hollyhock flower. Grace - you are torturing me - first the pennisetum which seems to be unavailable over here and now the loropetalum 'Pipa's Red', which on first investigations appears to be equally elusive :( I am just going to have stop visiting you :)
Oh Grace, I just want to get lost in your garden and play. It's filled with so many gorgeous plants and blooms, and for Oct (almost Nov) you have SO MUCH blooming! It almost looks like summer. It's just so full and lush. I wish I could have something like yours but I have mostly shade here so I can only choose small areas to plant my sun plants in. I enjoy looking at your beautiful photos!
So jealous of the hollyhock. I have two, purchased at HPSO sale, that remain small, LOW clumps of leaves. Maybe my mom is proved right. She always held that stolen plants do much better than the legitimate ones (not that yours is exactly stolen).
Your garden is so lush, so beautiful. Thanks for another eye-treat!
I love when you show off that gorgeous garden of yours! That loropetalum, is it related to the witch hazel? I love that flower.
Great job with the hollyhock! You truly have a green thumb (or a pink one if you wish!)
LOVE that hollyhock. I'm not much of a "flowery" gardener but I've always had a soft spot for hollyhocks and that's a stunner!
Your pipa's red loropetalum gives me hope for ours, the specific cultivar of which I can't remember right now (and I'm too lazy to look it up!) I love that fall blossom tendency.
You have so much COLOR in your garden for the last week of October!
What a hollyhock!
Don't you love loropetalum? The bloom before the azaleas and are still blooming when the azaleas are long gone, then we get the fall rebloom.
Some of mine are 12 foot trees. I have a white lorpetalum. Michael Dirr dismissed the white as being unfit for gardens, but I love mine, great for a white garden with Gardenias and things.
Love your last photo. Great capture.
WOW! Wonderful holly, and I just love your last picture.
FlowerLady
Hi Grace,
Well, I'm hooked on your blog now after one visit. All you have to do is mention Hollyhocks.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. It is nice to "meet" you. Your garden is stunningly beautiful.. how long has it taken you to create such a paradise?
Rosey
Grace, I'm such a fan of yours... I believe anything you do would be worth the effort! :-)
I love hollyhocks. Did you ever learn how to make hollyhock dolls? My mom taught me as a very young girl.
Your last photo is incredible. Someday I want to grow up to be you! :-)
Grace, the hollyhocks look great. Your garden is also looking really good for this time of year.
It is pleasure to see single petal Hollyhock. Gardeners here are going crazy for doubles not knowing they are not as eco-friendly. Aemones are looking so pretty as well. The last photo is so cute.
Look at all those pretty pink flowers! I love the anemones. I have a couple planted that just grew a few leaves this year. Maybe next year they'll bloom?
What a proud momma you can be! That's a pretty color. I love the anemones! I have to say that I spent a few minutes enjoying the enlarged photo of your garden. Wow, it is gorgeous! Your kiss me over the garden gate is tall! I was wondering what plant is loaded with deep pink blooms behind the lighter pink dahlias on the right side of the photo.
I too remember your visit to collect the hollyhocks - thanks for the update, you did those "babies" proud! Oh, I might need to put loropelatum on the list - that magenta blossom looks just like a witch hazel bloom! Is your J. anemone named after the character in Mozart's "Magic Flute," I wonder?
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