If I had seed, I would almost cover it with sprinkled seed starting mix in a pot or tray of mix and leave it out-of-doors, where the light can get to the seeds and mice cannot. I use the mix because weed seed will sprout and grow faster than the hollyhocks. I have never tried to plant them now, but do so in Spring. They grow, overwinter and then bloom the following Summer. They are perennial. One, I grew, lived at my daughter's home for years and suddenly died in a week or so with blight. That is why they are treated as biennials. Just as with my foxgloves, I start hollyhock seed each Spring so I always have a few blooming plants. There are also, more recently developed, strains that bloom from early sowing, that same year.

Yes, if you get Happy Lights or Summer Carnival and start them in about February or March, they'll bloom first year for you. As for other ones, I start them in early August when the slugs and snails are more under control than they are in early spring, and that way they get just a little size on them before winter, and bloom that following summer.

OK, so it's probably too late to start seeds this year. If I understand correctly, the one I have might come back and bloom next year. And, if I sow seeds in the spring I will get plants that will bloom the following year.

And I can always go buy some at a nursery that were started for me this year. I'm going to look for something more rust-resistant.

Thanks!