In Old English “hock” is synonymous with “mallow”. The mallow plants that returned from the Middle East with the Crusaders were called “holy” or “holly” hocks. Whatever the name, the plants and their bright flowers were a hit in the color-starved Middle Ages. Remains of hollyhocks have been found in a Neanderthal burial site at Shanidar. A stylized, symmetrical hollyhock is the seal of the Tokugawa family in Japan, and is often used as a reference to the era in Japan's history where that family ruled the country.(Wikipedia and www.backyardgardener.com). The photos were taken on March 29, 2008.