Lavatera ‘Barnsley’

Tree Mallows are all the rage in European gardens, and now becoming better known here in North America. Plants form a large upright bush of heart-shaped grey-green leaves, bearing loads of white hollyhock-like flowers with a pink blush, all summer long. This is actually a woody shrub, but is usually cut back hard each spring to a height of about 6 inches. Plants may need to be staked, especially in windy areas. In Zones 5 to 6 plants should be mulched for the winter. Gardeners in cold winter regions could consider this as an annual that flowers for the whole summer and fall.