Friday, May 11, 2007

The HAPPY Plant!



I am dedicating this entire post to the HAPPIEST plant in my garden. I mean it! Not only is this French Hollyhock happy, it makes ME happy! I don't think there's anything I could do to shrink it's enthusiasm. Each day, it grows a little taller and prouder! It got so big, I cut out some of it to make room for it's neighbors. Did that dampen it's spirits??? Not one bit. We're standing @ over 5 feet tall at this very moment with beautiful varigated blooms up and down it's stalk. Do you have a happy plant? Tell me all about it!

30 comments:

Iowa Gardening Woman said...

Wow, I grow this plant in Iowa as well, it self seeds like crazy here. It makes me happy as well! I have never heard it called a French Hollyhock before.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

gardenmomma (Chris) said...

Hi IGW,
Here's the Dave's Garden site where I read about it.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/51464/index.html

Carol Michel said...

My happy plant right now is anything planted and not still in flats or four inch pots on the back patio!

Actually, the happiest plants in the garden today are the 'Miss Kim' Lilacs, full of sweet-smelling blooms, just in time for Mother's Day.

Anita said...

That hollyhock looks very happy, indeed! Oh, my happiest plant? Well, all my plants make me happy but now in May, I especially LOVE all my alliums that are in bloom these days. I'll show more allium pictures in my next post, so make sure you pass by my blog soon!

You asked me about my pottery balls. Well yes, they are quite difficult to make. I joined a pottery group at the beginning of this year and really enjoy it a lot. But you need lots of patience! I'll try to post a little tutorial soon on how to make them!

Viele Grüße aus Deutschland!

Jean said...

Love the French Hollyhock! I can't seem to get it to come back. Yours is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

That is one happy looking plant.
The bee looks pretty happy too.

Ottawa Gardener said...

I'm with Carol. Last frost, I need last frost.

I really like common chicory that you see growing roadside. Don't know why, but it warms my heart.

Lynn said...

Oh! I have one of those, and I didn't know its name.
Thanks for showing that happy plant-now we're happy.

mine is up late

Ladyseashells said...

Wow, your hollyhocks looks really healthy, no rust problem. I have two hollyhocks that came back to live after a hard winter we had and I planted more seedlings this spring for next summer to enjoy. My happy plant is ... my red rhododendron. It always look like a red ball in spring, covered with flowers.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Love that french hollyhock. It's so pretty and it seems to sing a very happy song. ;-)

Most of my plants are happy now that we have had some rain but I think my violets and daisies are the most happy, as is shown by their smiling faces. :-)

Anonymous said...

If your happy and you know it you must be this hollyhock!
A truely beautiful flower and photograph.
Sara from farmingfriends in the UK

MrBrownThumb said...

Hey Chris,

Thanks for posting this. I saw this plant last year and wondered what it was. Now I may have to get one myself.

Anonymous said...

Oh dear I'd better not let my husband see this post. He of all people loves Hollyhocks! LOL We have no more room in our garden for any more hollyhocks or other plants!

Your's is beautiful though and I'm glad it's so happy.

Here for green thumb.

Annie said...

What a lovely hollyhock. I also have a beautiful pink hollyhock that has veen making me happy for many months now. We are well into Autumn here in Australia, but it is not giving up and still has a couple of final flowers up it's stem. I will make a note to self and post a photo of it in My Flower Garden for you to come and see. I have planted a black one that I am looking foward to next summer

Kylee Baumle said...

I have this plant, too, but I know it as Malva, in the hollyhock family, but not the old fashioned hollyhock.

Mine was transplanted from my grandma's courtyard where we suspect a bird planted the seed. ;-)

Let's see, the happy plant in my garden right now would probably be the orange Geum. They've been blooming their little hearts out for a couple of weeks now and show no signs of stopping!

Gardenmomma Chris said...

Hi all,
Thanks for your comments! Yes, it is in the Malva family and not an old fashoined hollyhock at all.

Just a note to let you know that this blog no longer functions... I can only read and add comments! :(
I spent hours trying to fix the problems, but nothing worked. So, I will be starting my new blog...

ThroughMyGardenGate.blogspot.com

Please come by and visit!

Chris

Veronica said...

Beautiful!!! Now come to Florida & do that for me :)

Mary said...

Hello, that plant certainly looks happy! I have one hollyhock, but last year it only got to about two feet high, hoping for better results this year, depending on our British weather

kate said...

This is one of the first plants I grew and truly gave me the confidence to keep on gardening. One or two rather disastrous attempts with plants had been disheartening, but this flower kept me at it!t

Anonymous said...

What a pretty flower it has. My happy plant is the sunflower.
Sara from farmingfriends

Anonymous said...

How absolutely beautiful your words are and the plant is not bad either. You words about your plant move me and I could experience its full beauty in picture and sound. You may can understand and share the passion of a character in a book called "Diary of a Wannabe Gardener." It is a creatively humorous and colorful book about a gardeners love, passion, addiction to her garden flowers. Check it out for a winter read while the gardening has slowed down. You can preview it at www.bbotw.com Let me know if the author's words were as beautiful as yours when describing a plant.(author Dorothy Guyton)

Annie said...

What a beautiful hollyhock. Mine have just started to flower and they are so beautiful. I am a lover or all plants but I particularly love roses. I am very happy out in my garden.

Anonymous said...

Mallow is indeed a happy plant unless of course it is in my garden being chomped by the deer. They love it. Thanks for the beautiful picks and post.~~Dee

chey said...

What a wonderful plant! I can see why it makes you happy. My happy plants are my daylilies. They always make me smile:).

Anonymous said...

I love all my plants but I am proud of my lawn I layed new turf about a year ago and it took really well, it looks really good and healthy.

Anonymous said...

Magnificent! You must have invested a lot of your love in here to make this plant grow so happy :)

It's sad that you're moving your blog, but anyway hope is not all lost a new one is blooming. Congratulations!

Nola said...

Don't know if you're blogging anymore, since I see this is an old post, but thought I'd give you a shout. I found you by googling for zone 8a gardening blogs. Looks like you have lots of the same plants that I do. You garden photos are beautiful!

deborahswt said...

These are beautiful!

Cool Garden Things said...

Hmmm...I thought that was called Malva...perhaps french hollyhock is it's common name...but either way I collected a bunch of seeds this fall and am going to try to get it to grow in my garden:)

Toyin O. said...

These are great pictures.