Spots and lines

A pale pink Hollyhock flower that was growing at the Reader Rock Garden on 10 August 2011. I always love to see the centres of these large flowers, especially the blackish flowers.

"Alcea (Ál-ce-a), commonly known as hollyhocks, is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae. Most species are native to southwest and central Asia, although a few are native to southeast Europe or Egypt.

Hollyhocks are popular garden ornamental plants, cultivars selected, particularly from A. rosea. The flowers have been selected for variations in colour, with dark purple, red and white-flowered plants available in addition to the colours found in wild plants (pink or yellow)." From Wikipedia.