The Hollyhock That Ate My Garden

It is now close to eleven feet tall and has sprouted several "arms".  It also has incredible cream colored flowers with faint blue centers.  I wonder if it can get any bigger.  In case you were wondering, it was exactly one month from the first picture in this series to the last.  I still don't know what to do about my garden but letting this grow was worth it.  This one totally outdoes the black beauties I had a few years ago.  I just hope I have luck transplanting it and keeping it going next year.

Tall things don't grow well on the prairie

I figured I better post some pics before the hollyhocks are completely trashed. I figure they are pretty close to being in full bloom so this will have to be the best I can expect. We have one problem growing tall things out here and the hollyhocks, with the tallest above 8' tall, are no exception. I experienced it last year when our 9' tall sunflowers were flattened by a storm and our hollyhocks are experiencing the same things after a storm ripped through yesterday. It also did a number of the gladiolus and I spent the morning trying straighten them out. Maybe tall things just weren't meant to be grown in this area. I staked things up the best I could and everything is still alive. The color of the hollyhocks is starting to grow on me - though I've done some plant re-arranging to brighten up this part of the yard.
Coming soon: that ugly garage gets a face lift.