Black 'Hocks

Day 335: Several times in the past, I've gathered seeds from my black hollyhocks intending to plant them the following spring, but invariably, I've forgotten to do so. Perhaps this time, I'll remember. Single Hollyhocks are not as common as they once were. Most gardeners lean toward the showier doubles of most plant species. However, I have fond memories of the 'hocks growing against the alley fence behind my grandmother's house, reds and pinks, whites and yellows, and every one a single. As a four-year old, I probably sowed hundreds in the neighbourhood from pods I collected and turned inside-out to watch the seeds fly apart from their tightly packed nests. To me, "hollyhock" shall always signify a large, floppy, open flower. Those fluffy double things are something else, not hollyhocks, and they have no place in my scheme. My grandmother would be proud.