Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.

~ Christian Dior

Such a pleasant diversion to be cornered by a hollyhock when I should have been watering.

I'd been waiting for the Sweet Surrender roses to bloom at Hollyhock level-- crossing my fingers that the hollyhock blooms wouldn't be too high for a picture. I've also been waiting for some years for this plant combo to kick into maturity. The pea flowers are indigofera. The hollyhock is Alcea ficifolia from Annie's Annuals.

It takes time to nurse a 4" potted hollyhock into maturity– they  definitely prefer germinating in the ground. After two years this one now has two stalks and there's a 2-ft seedling nearby. YAY !