First time gardener...HELP!

I'm a new to this site and also new to gardening. My husband bought me a HUGE variety of flowers this past May so I can start a garden. All my flowers have done extremly well but I am afraid of our winters here in the Midwest. I live in Moline, Illinois and our winters can be pretty harsh. Here are a few flowers that I have no idea what to do to prepare them for the winter:
Luna Hibiscus
Hydrangea
Hollyhock
Verbena

If anyone can please give me any suggestions I would very much appreciate it. There are way too many websites and they all say one thing or another...HELP!

I'm assuming you're probably in zone 5? The Luna hibiscus should be hardy in your area--it will die back to the ground but then come up again next year (they can be a bit slow to get going in the spring though so don't worry if it doesn't sprout again until May/June). You're near the bottom end of their hardiness though so it probably wouldn't hurt to give it a nice covering of mulch for the winter.

On the hydrangea, do you know the name of the one you have? Some are very hardy and bloom on new wood, so if yours is one of those then you don't need to do anything. But there are some that only bloom on old wood, so if yours is one of those then if you want flowers next year you'll need to protect it for the winter (one common technique is to build a wire cage around it and fill it up with leaves)

Hollyhocks you also shouldn't need to do anything to--they are usually biennial, so if you planted it this year and it didn't bloom then it should come back and bloom next year. But if it bloomed this year then there's a good chance it won't come back next year, so you should collect some seeds from it. I have a couple that do behave as perennials and keep coming back year after year--I'm not sure if it's the warmer climate or the particular type that I have but it's better to be safe and save some seeds.

listen to ecrane! I saved a bunch of my hollyhock seeds just in case, be cause I just planted them all this year and they bloomed too!

Hi neighbor, I live in Woodhull which is about 28 miles from you. I have a luna hibiscus that I just put some mulch on it after it dies back. I also have some minature hollyhocks that I let reseed themselves and do nothing to. Saving a few seeds wouldn't hurt though, just in case. I don't have any of the tall hollyhocks.

Can't help with the other never had them.

Good luck

The only item that hasn't been addressed is the verbena. You should be able to cover it with a good layer of mulch and it should be o.k.

that hibiscus is beautiful by the way!

Verbena usually is an annual in zone 5. I have never had any luck with it coming back.
Maybe if you mulch well it may.

Your probably right bookreader. I forget how mild our winters are compared to some places. Even down here all verbena is not perrenial. Just the old types.

I grow the verbena as a houseplant here in zone 5

I have some gorgeous verbena in pots on my patio. I'm in Oregon, zone 8 and have never wintered verbena over. We're nearing our first freeze in a few weeks, should I bring the pots into the house? If they work for a houseplant ...

WildFlower if you are concerened they will not survive then yes by all means take them in they will survive as houseplants....If they are not close to windows they tend to get a little "leggy" just trim that back if you don't like it...but they will be fine

Vicha12, and everyone else, i was happy too see your post here. I live in Galesburg Illinois and i am sure u are familair with where i am at. I have been to Moline many times. I have alot of the same questions as you when it comes to what to do to get my flowers ready for winter. I dont even know the names of half mine that i planted off the top of my head, but i did save the tags. So i am sort of looking them up on line and trying to learn as i go. I am terrible at remembering peoples names, let alone all the names of what i planted this past year. But i am shocking myself as to what all is sticking with me in regards to learning all there is to know about different flowers. I loved seeing the picture of your Hibiscus. I also planted a Hibiscus this year, but i dont think mine is called a luna hibiscus. I am posting a picture of mine, and hopefully someone can help me out with what to do to it for winter. I was planning on cutting it back and putting some mulch around it, but i see they are telling u, it will be ok without cutting it back. I was so proud of my Hibiscus, cause it started as almost a dead little plant. My Mom and two sisters also planted a hibiscus and mine was the only one that bloomed. I ended up with over 25 blooms on it, which i thought was really good for just starting it this spring. This picture is the first two blooms and you can kind of see all the blooms getting ready to open. I think my Hibiscus is called Candy Striped Hibiscus, but if that is wrong please someone correct me. I am glad too see people here from our area. Hopefully we can all answer each others questions.

Twohassles that is one pretty flower. I love it!!

Below is a picture of our 10-year-old hibiscus on May 1 of this year - just sprouts. Two months later, it was 3'-4' tall and had flowers that looked like yours.

Follow-up picture (of hibiscus after 2 months of growth) to the previous message:

Holy Cow, nford

That thing sprouted and bloomed fast... The Hibiscus here are very pretty.. Maybe I will go and buy myself one or two.. Pretty, So Pretty.

Thanks for sharing the pictures of the hibiscus...they are beautiful.

I always cover my garden with the leaves I have raked up from my yard. I've learned that from my mother who is 85 and has a beautiful garden! It's good insulation during those harsh winters.