This summer, it seems to be very happy, I've been spraying occasionally with sulphur and feeding regularly. Abe is blooming well and putting on nice new growth. However, he is less than a metre high ( 3 ft. ) perhaps only 60 cms ( 2 ft ) in my climate.

Thought some images of this notoriously rampant rose growing as a demure shrub might interest those who grow him in warm places. His growth is lax here, almost polyantha like. But he is a beauty this year. Heres some pics:

Close up;

and, from afar.

A rather good illustration of the differences climate can make in particular cultivars I think.

Cheers, Rick

Ingrid

The Hollyhocks are all self seeded plants. I've had a love, hate relationship with Hollyhocks. They are very susceptible to Hollyhock rust and the leaves are often shredded by earwigs and other critters.

This year however, I am definitely in the love phase. The difference is I started spraying my roses with lime sulphur, the same stuff you mix with dormant spray oil. You can also use it on its own diluted in water. So since I am spraying the roses, I have been taking some of the lower leaves off the Hollyhocks and giving them a good spray as well. You have to get the bottoms of the leaves to kill the rust spores. So this year, we near the end of July and I have no rust on them and the sulphur drench also seems to have deterred the leaf chewers.

Double jackpot!!! So now, I have both glorious roses and gorgeous Hollyhocks.

Try the Hollyhocks again and if you are not averse to spraying once or twice a season, I think they will do wonderfully for you.

Cheers, Rick