I know hollyhocks are prone to these pests, but I didn’t expect to play host to quite so many. Perhaps it’s a banner year for them. It certainly was for rose slugs. Those I was willing to fight. I think the weevils have defeated me. I planted three hollyhocks last summer but only one really came back. Another one is now only about 10 inches high. The third didn’t survive the winter. I don’t really care that much for hollyhocks anyway, so I’m just going to chop down the one that survived and dig up the skimpy one that only just survived. The weevils will simply have to move elsewhere.
I am thrilled, however, with the dutchman’s pipe. A friend came by a few weeks ago and strung twine so that the vine would fill in, and that worked wonderfully.
I have my green wall that divides the lower garden from the secret garden. I had to remove a very large and very old lilac bush about a month ago. It just wasn’t pretty anymore. I bought a mophead annabelle hydrangea that I hope will fill in the spot, and I planted a couple of caryteris and some annuals. Until those fill in, the secret garden isn’t much of a secret.
Forgive the hose that I constantly battle, and the crabgrass that I hope will leave my yard in a few weeks. And, summer heat has arrived and everything tends to wilt by late afternoon. I will water again tonight.
The fireflies have returned. The moonflower is growing quickly. So soon I will have fireflies and moonflowers every night.
Garden 337 