Hollyhocks (gouache style)

Hollyhocks belong to the mallow family and are thought to have come originally from Asia, reaching Britain by the medieval period. They grow into tall spikes covered in saucer-shaped flowers, single or double, in colours from white and yellow through pink and red to near black. The leaves are large, rounded and slightly rough. They're short-lived and often grown as biennials, flowering in their second summer.

Sow seed outdoors from May to July, either where you'd like them to flower or in pots to plant out in autumn. They'll flower the following summer, from July into September. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and give tall plants a stake or the support of a wall in exposed gardens. Rust shows as orange spots under the leaves: pick off affected lower leaves and keep air moving around the plants. Leave a few spikes to set seed if you want self-sown seedlings.

Tall rose, maroon and yellow hollyhocks stand against a pale brick wall in this image. That's where they've traditionally been grown, using a sunny wall for warmth and support. The pale brick shows off the depth of the maroon and the brightness of the yellow, at the height of summer flowering.