Flowers: June-July the following season

Height: 6 feet 8 inches

Hardiness Rating: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Description: Superb first year flowering hollyhock with blackcurrant coloured flowers with attractive veining that fade to a lighter colour. An interesting combination of double, semi double and single flowers can be found on the same stem.

Sowing Instructions: Sow on to a moist seed sowing compost in a 150 cell plug tray or slightly larger unit if preferred. Cover well with 5mm of vermiculite and propagate at 18 to 20 c germination should take place after 7 to 10 days. Plug sowing is by far the best option, as hollyhock does not like the root disturbance of pricking out and can be susceptible to damping off.

Growing Instructions: Grow on the January sowings at 15 c until the seedlings are established and cover the tray at which stage the temperature can be reduced to 10c. Pot on into a 1 litre pot or put 3 plugs in a 3 litre pot for sales in April May. Sowings made June-July can be potted in the same way in late summer and then over wintered in an unheated glasshouse, tunnel or cold frame for sales in March April of the following year.