Problem: Article: Bringing up a mutual friend in your conversation will help you to draw a personal connection to the girl, even if you don't know her well. She will feel more at ease, as you will no longer seem like a complete stranger! Having a common friend also gives you something (or someone) to talk about. Try saying something like "I've heard you're good friends with Allison. How do you two know each other?" Or "Oh so you know Dan? We go way back! He's hilarious, isn't he?" Bringing up a shared experience - whether it's working as a volunteer or growing up on a farm - helps to create a personal connection between the two of you and establishes the beginning of a bond. If you realize that you both grew up on a farm, you could say something like "No way! Me too! The worst part was the early mornings, my Dad would get me up at 5 a.m. everyday during the summer to help out! What was it like for you?" If you both worked on volunteer projects you could say something like "I thought it was a really rewarding experience. What inspired you to get involved?" Asking the girl an unusual or thought-provoking question will break the ice and allow the girl to speak her mind. It will give the girl a chance to express herself while you make a good impression for asking such an interesting question in the first place. Win-win! Try something like "If you could be an animal, what type of animal would you be?" Or something like "What are the top five places you want to visit before you die?" Or maybe "Would you ever consider doing a skydive?" Discovering that you have a shared interest is conversational gold and will really help you to start establishing a bond with the girl. It doesn't matter what the interest is - be it reading, running, rowing or rock-climbing - what matters is that it's something you share. If you discover that you both like running you could ask her what her favorite local routes are, or if she's ever considered training for a marathon. If you both like reading, you could ask her who her favorite author is or what she thought of a recent film adaption of a well-known novel. If it's something really quirky, ask her how she first got involved with it and compare stories! If things are going well and the two of you seem to be hitting it off, it might be time to get a little more personal. Remember that the aim is to show that you're interested in her and want to get to know her better, not to make her feel uncomfortable. Don't ask her anything that you wouldn't feel comfortable answering yourself. Keep it positive! Don't ask her what her greatest fear or biggest secret is, ask her about her hopes for the future or where she sees herself in ten years. Leave it up to her whether she wants to answer seriously or keep it light-hearted. Try asking her about her family, start with something simple and non-invasive like "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" If you want to find out if she's single, simply ask her "Are you seeing anybody right now?"
Summary: Mention a Common Friend. Bring up a shared experience. Pose an interesting question. Mention a shared interest. Ask a personal question.

Problem: Article: Hollyhocks come in a seemingly endless assortment of shades of white, yellow, pink, maroon and red flowers, which grow on 6 to 9 foot (1.8 to 2.7m) stalks. Hollyhocks will reseed themselves for subsequent growing years. You can also harvest seeds from plants in the fall. Some hollyhock varieties will generally grow a bit shorter or taller, so consider your space needs and height preferences as well. If you live in an area with cold winters, consider starting hollyhock seeds indoors in the fall. Germinate the seeds in October or November and allow them to grow for a while and experience a winter. This may trick the flowers into blooming the following spring. If you live in a warmer climate, you may be able to plant the seeds outdoors in the fall and achieve the same results. In the U.S., hollyhocks can manage in USDA hardiness zones 3-8 (see http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/). In cooler zones (e.g., 3), you'll definitely want to start indoors either the previous fall or early in the spring. In warmer zones (e.g., 8), you can sow seeds outdoors in the fall or spring. Hollyhock seeds are large, have a high germination rate, and come few to a package, so it is best to plant each seed individually. Put each seed 0.25 to 0.5in (0.64 to 1.27cm) below the soil. Any small plant container will do, but plastic "peat pots" filled with perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss are ideal for this. Place the trays near a window where they'll receive ample sunlight. Water the soil as needed to keep it moist. Hollyhock seeds usually germinate in 1 to 2 weeks. You only need to do this if you are growing the plants indoors over the winter. If you're just starting early in the spring, you can go straight from the peat pots to outdoors. Keep the pots in a sunny spot indoors, and water them regularly.
Summary:
Purchase seeds in your choice of variety and color. Plan ahead to increase your chances of first-year blooms. Sow the seeds in individual "peat pots" indoors. Transplant the seedlings into individual 4 to 6in (10 to 15cm) pots.