Alcea Hollyhock 'Black'

• Grow in well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun. If growing in an exposed location, plants may need staking.
• A perennial plant, this black hollyhock dies back to ground level over winter, with fresh, new growth emerging in the spring.
• Remove flowering stems when blooms fade and in autumn cut the plants back to 15cm (6in) from the ground.
• Before planting, prepare the soil by digging over and removing any weeds. Incorporate some well-rotted manure to enrich the soil if necessary.
• When planting several perennials, arrange them on the surface so you can see how they will look before planting.
• Individually knock out each plant from its container. Look at the roots - if they are circling around the compost, it is best to tease them out. To do this, push your fingers into the rootball along the bottom edge and pull. Do this in a couple of places. This should encourage the roots to spread into the surrounding soil.
• Next use a trowel or spade to create a hole just deep and wide enough to set in the rootball.
• The aim is to bury just the roots, leaving the bases of the stems (when in growth in summer) or the shoots (in spring) above ground.
• Firm back around the soil, using your hand for small clumps and your heel on larger areas.
• Water in well to settle the soil and prevent desiccation.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. Pre-ordered items will be sent as soon as possible after the date quoted and we'll generally ship your entire order with your pre-ordered items. When your order is dispatched, we'll send you another email with details of how to track it.

Most orders are sent on a fully-tracked courier service with Yodel. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, no signature is required, and our courier is asked to leave your order in a safe place on your property.

We'll send a tracking link when we dispatch your order, so you know when its due to arrive. Please note, once delivered we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your property. If you have any specific delivery instructions, please let us know - there's an option to enter a short message for the courier at the checkout.

Smaller, lighter, single-item orders may be sent through the post with Royal Mail - in which case no tracking is available.

Our experienced nursery team will always send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive when you plant them, so although most plants are very tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme frosts or heatwaves, we avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme weather is forecast, or over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.