Hardy Biennials

Anchusa italica is a wonderfully statuesque plant with vibrant, gentian blue flowers, dense foliage and lance shaped mid green leaves. 'Dropmore' is a 1905 selection that is still available today. They will thrive in a sunny border and make a great companion to rich plums and purple tones.

Hollyhocks are a mysterious and prolific flower with a long and rich history. Traditionally associated with cottage-style borders, the dramatic, near-black flowers of Nigra work equally well in a contemporary, minimalist garden. This unique variety creates an impressive impact against most backgrounds.

A knockout hollyhock, shorter, showier, and dressed in ruffled petals the colour of antique blush silk. Alcea ‘Queeny Salmon’ flowers its heart out in the first year from seed, an unusual trick for a hollyhock. The blooms are fully double, almost peony like, a beautiful soft pink that catches the light.

Alcea rosea ‘Queeny Purple’ is a dwarf hollyhock with all the stately beauty of its taller cousins, but in a more manageable form. Unlike the tall varieties, it is a perennial that will bloom in its first year. Sturdy, well-branched stems that are resistant to rust are topped with fully double, ruffled flowers in deep, velvety purple.

This gorgeous award winning Hollyhock has the distinction of being the shortest in the Alcea rosea family. 'Queeny' is a dwarf Hollyhock that reaches only 60cm in height with fully double blooms. Unlike the tall varieties, it is a perennial that can also be used as an annual as it will bloom in its first year.

Softly ruffled, fully double blooms in a an elegant, romantic shade, a delicate blend of lilac-pink and rose, like old-fashioned silk with a hint of lavender. ‘Queeny Lilac Rose’ is a compact variety perfect for borders, pots, or small gardens. It flowers its heart out in the first year from seed, an unusual trick for a hollyhock.

Alcea rosea ‘Chater's White’ is a dramatic, upright plant, with a spike-like inflorescence that is covered with large buds that open, in a staggered manner, from June to September, from the bottom to the top. Fully double and almost pom-pom in appearance, the fine crepe texture of the petals is so delicate that it allows light to pass through.

Alcea rosea ‘Chater's Rose’ is a dramatic, upright plant, with a spike-like inflorescence that is covered with large buds that open, in a staggered manner, from June to September, from the bottom to the top. Fully double and almost pom-pom in appearance, the fine crepe texture of the petals is so delicate that it allows light to pass through.