Hollyhocks are easy to grow and their blooms come in a wide range of jewel colours, flowering from early summer to autumn. Their tall spires look good grown against walls and fences and are stalwarts of cottage gardens. Hollyhocks can be cut for bouquets and you can even add the petals to salads or crystallise for cake decorations.
Hollyhocks are a classic cottage garden flower that add gorgeous vertical interest to gardens. With their tall spires blooming in vibrant colors, they make a stunning backdrop for beds and borders. But what should you plant with hollyhocks to complement their beauty?
Choosing the right companion plants can enhance hollyhocks’ colors, attract pollinators, and fill space as the hollyhock plants fade later in summer. The good news is many flowers herbs vegetables, and other plants make perfect partners for hollyhocks in both ornamental and edible gardens.
In this article, we’ll explore 24 of the best companion plants for hollyhocks. You’ll find tips for combining hollyhocks with other flowers, herbs, and vegetables. We’ll also cover what not to plant with hollyhocks and answer common questions about growing these cottage garden favorites.
Best Flowers to Plant with Hollyhocks
Here are some of the most popular flowers that pair beautifully with hollyhocks:
-
Delphinium Adds height and blooms at the same time as hollyhocks, The two plants complement each other perfectly in cottage garden beds,
-
Foxglove: Thrives in similar conditions as hollyhocks. The spires of foxglove flowers contrast nicely with hollyhock blooms.
-
Shasta Daisy: Provides a nice contrast in shape and color. The cheerful white daisies brighten up the bold hollyhock colors.
-
Larkspur: The upright form and cool flower tones complement taller, bolder hollyhocks nicely.
-
Lavender: Deters pests and offers a soft, fragrant border at the base of hollyhocks.
-
Catmint: Fills in space at the front of beds, suppressing weeds. The hazy blue flowers accent the hollyhocks.
-
Coreopsis: Blooms profusely alongside hollyhocks, attracting pollinators with its daisy-like flowers.
-
Echinacea: Shares a similar bloom time and form to hollyhocks. Echinacea attracts butterflies and bees to the garden.
-
Yarrow: Provides feathery texture that softens hollyhocks’ upright shape. Yarrow supports pollinators too.
Best Herbs to Grow with Hollyhocks
Fragrant herbs make great companions for hollyhocks. Here are some top picks:
-
Basil: Deters pests like aphids while attracting bees and butterflies. The scent and flowers enhance hollyhocks.
-
Thyme: Serves as a low-growing ground cover, suppressing weeds and improving airflow around hollyhocks.
-
Chives: Adds lovely purple blooms. Chives help repel harmful insects.
-
Oregano: Attracts beneficial insects while deterring pests. Thrives in similar conditions to hollyhocks.
-
Parsley: Improves biodiversity and fills space around hollyhocks as they fade.
-
Sage: Repels beetles and other pests. Offers nice fragrance and silver tones next to hollyhocks.
-
Mint: Deters deer, rabbits, and other critters that may bother hollyhocks. Grow mint in pots since it spreads aggressively.
Best Vegetables to Grow with Hollyhocks
If you want to incorporate edibles into your hollyhock beds, these vegetable companions work well:
-
Tomatoes: Benefit from the pollinators hollyhocks attract. The large leaves shade hollyhock roots.
-
Peppers: Enjoy the same sun and well-drained soil as hollyhocks. Shared space brings in more pollinators.
-
Corn: Provides complementary height and structure next to towering hollyhocks.
-
Beans: Fix nitrogen, enriching soil for hollyhocks. Scarlet runner beans make a gorgeous vertical pair.
-
Lettuce: Thrives in the partial shade of hollyhocks and helps suppress weeds.
-
Cucumbers: Appreciate the support and added pollinators. Hollyhocks draw aphids away from cukes.
-
Radishes: Grow quickly around hollyhocks, breaking up soil and deterring pests.
-
Carrots: Enjoy the loose, enriched soil around hollyhock roots. Don’t compete heavily for nutrients.
What Not to Plant with Hollyhocks
While hollyhocks partner well with many plants, a few companions should be avoided:
-
Potatoes: Risk spreading fungal diseases to susceptible hollyhocks.
-
Cabbage family: Attracts the same pests as hollyhocks, especially aphids and flea beetles.
-
Pumpkins: Sprawling vines overwhelm and crowd out hollyhocks.
-
Onions and garlic: May stunt hollyhock growth through allelopathic effects and competing for water.
-
Broccoli and cauliflower: Prefer conditions different from those favored by hollyhocks.
-
Fennel: Releases compounds that inhibit growth of nearby hollyhocks and other plants.
Answers to Common Hollyhock Companion Planting Questions
If you’re new to growing hollyhocks, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
When should I plant hollyhocks?
The best times are early spring after the last frost or late summer/early fall. Fall planting often leads to earlier blooms.
Where should I plant my hollyhocks?
Give hollyhocks full sun (at least 6 hours daily) and well-draining soil. Plant near a wall, fence, or trellis for support. Allow plenty of space for their tall growth habit.
How can I easily propagate more hollyhocks?
Collect and sow mature hollyhock seeds from spent flower heads in late summer or fall. This is the easiest method. You can also take root cuttings in spring or fall.
A Beautiful Backdrop for Gardens
With their gorgeous, old-fashioned charm and vibrant presence, hollyhocks deserve a spot in both ornamental and edible landscapes. Choosing the right companion plants allows you to get the most beauty from hollyhocks while attracting pollinators and enhancing your overall garden design.
Use this guide to pick flowers, herbs, and vegetables that thrive alongside hollyhocks. Avoid pairings that compete for space and nutrients. Give hollyhocks room to grow, and they will reward you with a stunning, towering backdrop for your beds and borders.
WateringWater seedlings and young plants regularly, ensuring the top 15cm (6in) of soil is damp but not soggy, in the first few months. After that, plants in the garden should only need water in prolonged dry or hot spells. See our
To encourage a good root system keep young plants moist until established. This will result in bigger flower spikes more quickly in summer
If your garden is windy, place a bamboo cane or stout stake close to each stem and tie the stem to the support as it grows.
Usually, plants growing in a good garden soil will not need additional feeding. Just improve the soil by adding a 10cm (4in) layer of well-rotted garden compost to the soil where you wish to grow the hollyhocks, and digging it in before planting.
Cut the flower spikes to the ground when the flowers have faded. If you want to save the seed, wait until the seed cases are brown before collecting the seed and then cutting down the stalks.
All you need to know Before you get started
Hollyhocks are fully hardy and flower in the second year after sowing. They are short-lived
Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.
perennials and available in both single and double flowers. Before choosing which to go for, you might like consider the following:
- Have you got a suitable location in the back of a sunny border or along a wall?
- If your garden is windy, choose a sheltered spot and stake your plants as they begin to grow
- Single flowers are best to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies
- Hollyhocks are not long lived so always allow
A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. seedlings to grow and keep the best plants and flower colours
- Choose colours that will compliment your other border plants
Go to RHS Find a Plant and search for Alcea rosea to browse the photographs and plant descriptions, and find out where to buy them.
RHS guide to identifying your soil type
RHS guide to assessing your microclimate
Hollyhocks are available as seed, small
Seedlings or young plants grown singly in small modules, with the advantage that they can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. Bedding plants and young veg plants are often sold as plug plants of various sizes, with smaller ones requiring more aftercare. They usually need to be potted up and grown on indoors until large enough to plant outside.
plug plants and young plants in containers up to 2 litres in size. Seed is widely available all year round in garden centres and online. There is a wide range of single and double flowered-forms, which are sold as mixtures or single colours. This an economical way to add these plants to your garden and the choice is more extensive than when purchasing plants. Plug plants or young plants are available in spring, although the choice may be limited. You can buy them in garden centres or online.
RHS how to choose healthy plants
Hollyhocks will grow in any garden soil, but prefer fertile, well-drained soil, in full sun, to produce the tallest flower spikes. Choose a position that is sheltered from strong winds, else they tend to blow over.
Pot grown hollyhocks are best planted in spring or autumn, but can be planted at any time, spacing them 60cm (24in) apart. Plug plants, bought in garden centres or online, are best grown on in 10cm (4in) pots to establish a good root system, before planting out into the garden. If growing hollyhocks from seed sow indoors in mid- to late spring or directly in the position you want them to grow in May/June (See the Propagation section below for more details).
Protect young plants from slugs, as they quickly eat the leaves. Ongoing care
HOW to PLANT and GROW HOLLYHOCKS plus TIPS for growing hollyhocks in HOT CLIMATES
FAQ
What is a good companion plant for hollyhock?
- Foxgloves (Digitalis): Their spiky flowers and height complement hollyhocks and share a similar “cottage garden” feel.
- Roses: Classic companions for a vintage garden look. …
- Lupines: Another tall spire-like flower that can mirror the verticality of hollyhocks but with a different floral shape.
What are the cons of hollyhock?
Fungal Diseases Are A Common Problem With Hollyhocks
One important reason to give them some space is to provide adequate airflow. Not getting enough airflow can cause problems, including diseases such as powdery mildew or hollyhock rust.
Where is the best place to plant hollyhocks?
Hollyhocks thrive in sunny locations with well-drained soil. They prefer full sun, but can tolerate partial shade, and should be planted in a spot that is protected from strong winds.
How many hollyhocks should you plant together?
You can place them as close as 12 to 18 inches apart, although you might consider giving them more room since hollyhocks self-seed. Spacing them 3 to 4 feet apart will allow for this natural spread.