Love the photos! I didn't know Mahonia blooms were fragrant, or that the fruits were edible. Do you eat them fresh or use them for jams/preserves?

Have not heard of Ivy Leaf Hollyhock--no rust is intriguing.

I was sent black hollyhock seeds and have beautiful flowers off one plant. A second plant, which did not flower last year, is flourishing this year, so I hope to have them again.

Hi Neal,
The scent isn't strong and it was only when i was weeding that i got it,..as for the fruits yes edible either raw or cooked served in cereal or muesli which is how i have eaten them every year,..acidy or bitter sweet but pleasant,..the bark is medicinal and used to treat inflammatory skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis though i have never used it myself.
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Hi Debra,
Oh lucky you getting the Black Hollyhock in bloom,..i was looking forward to seeing mine alas failure,..ah yes that Ivy Leaf Hollyhock has come up on gardeners world and other places,..sounds great with no worry of rust,..i would love to come across them here.

I posted this same picture in my Blog and Multi-Plant,..its an old boat used every year by a friend,..he plants along the canal opposite his house,..a much neater gardener than myself,..in the boat there are Mixed Begonias,..Lobelia,..and Sweet Alyssum,..oh and Molly got into the picture i see.

A video i made of Marie and Dave's Garden in 2012,..the boat has a different planting back then,..he also has a Wildflower Section along the canal.

Video===Marie And Dave's Garden

Love it!

Thank you Debra

I grew a mahogany flowered erysimum some years back, and I believe it was a biennial, or at least acted like one. No seedlings either. It was lovely and deliciously fragrant.

I got several Mahonias, and some are fragrant, and some not. The birds love the fruit. I've never tried it though.. The Robins might gang up on me if I did

lovemyhouse said:Have not heard of Ivy Leaf Hollyhock--no rust is intriguing.

I was sent black hollyhock seeds and have beautiful flowers off one plant. A second plant, which did not flower last year, is flourishing this year, so I hope to have them again.

Hi Debra,
I was looking through Google to see what was mentioned re Ivy Leaf Hollyhock,..hardly more than a few words?,..makes me wonder if its a well kept secret to keep selling the usual Hollyhocks however i will keep searching.

Hi Sherry,
I love the scent of my Red Erysimum it was wafting under my nose as i sat in the garden this morning,..yes that mahogany one is strongly scented as well so i must get some seeds when in the Hardware/Garden Area.

The birds just love those Mahonia Fruits and i do feel guilty depriving them of their snacks,..i do give them an alternative meal lol.

Phillip, I've been searching too, but I knew what you were talking about and confused by the lack of results. Found them! Listed as "fig leaved hollyhocks". I had also heard they're resistant to rust.

Thank you Neal,
I was beginning to think i was imagining having heard of a Hollyhock resistant to rust,..so its Fig Leaf Hollyhock,..you would imagine the word was widespread by now but not so,..your a star for searching

I never get colds or flu except once back in 1987 but i have had what is best described as accidental injuries,..nothing ever broken however last June i was boating on a calm day and while standing a freak wave hit the boat and i fell injuring both wrists,..Plaster of Paris for a few weeks then sports supports but all is well now,..however that night i became aware of a sharp pain under my rib cage,..following morning i was shuffling my feet unable to walk,..aha methinks its a rupture/hernia,.. so off to the Doctor,..not sure what it is she said but off to a Specialist you go,..he said not too sure what it is though could be a hernia under the rib cage,..best get a CT Scan,..Results show i am in perfect health,..lungs/kidneys/Heart and the Specialist commented,..you are in great condition for your age you should be pleased he said,..em i was but despite all the good news i am still in pain?,..probably an air lock he said,..so what am i,..a radiator?,..my doctor requested an abdomen scan,..yikes i have a gall stone,..cyst on the right kidney and another on the left,..no hernia?,..everyone tells me ah the cysts are nothing to worry about so i don't worry i take lots of honey and it seems to be working,..now i must find something to dissolve the gall stone,..anyone got ideas on that.

Pink Cherry Tree.



White Cherry Tree.


My Hosta Plants are thriving.










Lupins and Delphiniums well established.








Lemon Balm,'Melissa officinalis'.





Showing lots of blooms and color.
Majonia japonica,'Andromeda'.





I don't have a landscape view from my front door and kitchen but 30 foot away i get the view below.

The only experience I have with gall stones is when my sister had them and corrective surgery. Wish I had something more helpful.

Hi Debra,
I was hoping i could take something to dissolve them,..wishful thinking,..i have never had surgery and so not looking forward to that,..maybe i could live with just my one as so far it doesn't bother me the cysts do stop me in my tracks if i lean suddenly to one side,..i do make the occasional sudden move

One would hope so.

Hope you're well soon Philip.

You always give me a laugh,..so quick off the mark and great expressions

I'll ask my herbalist friend and let you know what she says. Lovely batch of photos there!

My friend has a facebook page dedicated to herbal remedies, where I posted the question. Already got a response, a link with some good ideas:

http://www.rapidhomeremedies.c...