Hollyhock - Alcea rosea
Hollyhocks like rich, free draining soil in a sunny position. They are perennials, but are usually grown as biennials.
They can suffer from rust, there's not too much that you do about this, apart from remove the plant after flowering. However, companion planting with Achilla millefolium (common yarrow), the leaves and roots are rich in copper which is a natural fungicide, which may help.
They will self-set freely or pick off the seed heads and sow the seeds as soon as the are ripe in pots or open ground in autumn, they will flower the following year.
Suggested sowing time:
(Key: 
sow indoors,
sow outside,
sow outside under cover.)
Varieties:
Alcea rosea 'Chater's Double' - has a double flower and is named after the nurseryman W. Chater who grew hollyhocks in his garden in the 1840-50's.Alcea rosea 'Nigra' - Has a deep red/maroon flower.
Seeds to plant now:
Indoor or in a heated greenhouse
Ageratum
Aubergine
Bell Pepper, pepper
Cardoon
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Columbine
Cress
Cucumber
Floss flower, Ageratum
Lobelia
Ornamental Pepper
Pepper
Petunia
Salvia
Tomato
Outside
Antwerp hollyhock, Fig-leaved hollyhock, hollyhock
Beetroot, Garden beet
Borecole, Kale
Bristly hollyhock
Broccoli
Brussels sprout
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Common hollyhock
Normandy sorrel
Onion
Ornamental winter kale
Parsnip
Radish
Spinach
Spinach, Summer spinach
Spring onion
Sweet pea
Turnip
Outside under cover
Brussels sprout
Carrot
Cauliflower
Courgette
Cucumber
French marigold
Marrow
Onion
Pea
Snapdragon
Sweet corn
Tomato
