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.)
Cultivars and 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
Cress
Ornamental pepper
Outside
Ageratum
Alpine poppy
Antwerp hollyhock, Fig-leaved hollyhock, Hollyhock
Aubretia, Rock cress, Aubrieta, Aubrietia
Bristly hollyhock
Brussels sprout
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Cress
Floss flower, Ageratum
Larkspur
Normandy sorrel
Onion
Radish
Spinach
Spring onion
Swiss chard, Ruby chard, Rhubard chard
Turnip
Outside under cover
Cauliflower
