We're not entirely clear on how we first got hollyhocks in the garden. Our best recollection is that we got an old stalk from our neighbor Alison across the street and shook it over the garden to scatter seeds. Or maybe we bought some. Whatever. They just volunteer now, wandering the yard looking for a cozy spot to do their stuff. This year, thanks to the prolifically wet spring, they're putting on a show:

I assume the varieties of color we see are the result of hybrization, because I sure don't remember ever having salmon pink (not shown) before.

The show's going on all over the 'hood, with an especially striking one up the street that's a sort of lemonade yellow with just a hint of green. Double blossoms. Magnificent. Must see if I can score some of the seeds when it's done blooming.

(See Sim Yard for last year's disquisition.)