Insane blooms, insane seeds!

I've grown several different types of hollyhocks for a couple years now.  They typically don't flower the first year they're sown so I always forget what's planted where.  I ALWAYS wish I'd kept or was keeping a garden journal,  but alas, I just never have.  The best I can do is to take photos of the yard every couple of months. 

The hollyhocks by my driveway (the deep pink ones on the left) weren't as tall as in previous summers.  In past years they've grown well over 6 feet tall.  Maybe the soil is exhausted...I don't know.  It is rather lousy soil to begin with and I haven't taken the time to amend it (unless letting leaves mulch away there counts!).  Regardless, the blooms are still impressive and a deep, dark pink and with those impressive flowers comes an impressive number of seeds!

I'm giving these away to some local-ish friends and family and I have another round coming soon.  They grow so well in the north valley, they require little to no maintenance, and they come back year after year.  That's my kind of plant!  As my husband and daughter would say: "Easy peesy lemon squeezy."