This time of year as I wander around the garden at Crossfield Cottage I can’t help but admire the classic cottage flowers that we have in the garden at the moment, The Hollyhock.

They bloom early/ mid summer on tall spikes that look like they want to reach to the heavens to sho off their beauty.   Holly hocks support the lifecycle of the painted lady butterflies as a host plant for their caterpillars & also attract other pollinators such as bees.

Abundant of colours popping up standing tall each striving to be taller than the other plant.

This is a plant that has a special memory for us as a family our Gran would have hollyhocks in her garden, to the amazement of us all.   Mother in law, sister in law and myself would all take seeds bagged up in a paper bag from her garden to then hope to then see the flowers in our own gardens.  In whcih none of us had success in growing these classic flowers.

Until my husband and I  brought Crossfield cottage and started renovating, it was then that I was able to source some seeds, as Gran had passed on.

We scattered seeds amounts the plants at the garden to my surprise & joy I saw these beautiful flowers being showcased in the cottage garden.

So when I look around the garden the memories are there of Gran.

In Memory:  Gran Udy