Hollyhocks, Borage, and Erica……

About two years ago, I drove by a house that caught my attention. I immediately pulled over and looked longingly at its charm. Loved the house color and more importantly, the picket fence and hollyhocks that grew in front of it. Yellow hollyhocks. I’d never seen yellow ones. A few weeks later, I purposely drove by it again and this time someone was out front working in her garden. I had to stop, pull over and get out the car to inform this unknowing person that I had fallen in love with her house and garden!! I introduced myself as did she, and it seemed immediately that “Erica” and I were old friends and chatting away like crazy. I left with a gift baggie of yellow hollyhock seeds!!! I was so appreciative and anxious to have them in my garden the following year, only to misplace them 🙁

Well, just yesterday, I again purposely drove by her house to see if she still had yellow hollyhocks. She did. So I parked the car, and went to her front door, knocked, and she answered. It had been two years, we had only met the one time. I said , “Erica?” “yes she replied……you look so familiar”. I said “you may not remember me” and then she said “YES you are from Lake Quinault….. you loved my yellow hollyhocks!!”

We had the best sidewalk chat picking up where we left off on our only conversation from two years ago. I again was gifted a baggie full of yellow hollyhock seeds. ♥ And in addition, some beautiful bluish purple borage flowers that are edible. I have never had those and was so taken with them. And she of course was willing to share and into the baggie they went! I can’t wait to try making something that I can add these to.  So, here’s to yellow hollyhock, edible borage flowers and …..Erica!

https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=503