My flower garden this year has the usual perennials, and some annuals for additional color splash, with one exception.

My sister sent me some seeds from her Hollyhocks, so I added these to my garden this year, making them very special to me.

Hollyhocks  (Malvy – in Ukrainian) are very popular in Ukraine and Poland, and are mentioned in many of their traditional songs, as well as incorporated into paintings.

I was lucky to plant these in a perfect location, since they turned out to be over 6 feet tall.  I knew they grew tall, but did not realize that they would get this tall.

Having these plants in my garden brings me closer, in thought, to my family in Europe.  The Bumble Bees also love all the nectar and pollen, they find on the numerous flowers.

If you are thinking of planting Hollyhocks in your garden, keep in mind the amount of space these will require, and the constant bee activity you will experience around them.

You definitely would not want to plant these close to an area where you plan to relax, or play with your grandchildren.

Here are some of the pictures of my very tall Hollyhocks:

This Hollyhock bush is very full, but only about 6 ft tall.

This one is the same color, and style, but already over 9 ft. tall.

They grow lots of blooms on each one long stalk.

This dainty white with pink/maroon center, is a heaven for bees.  As you can see there are two of them fighting for the sweet nectar and pollen.

Bumble Bees love this color just as much.  Notice one working hard in the center of this flower.