What's your question? Ask

There is some truth to what your neighbor said, but hollyhocks are generally biennial (lives only two years). Sometimes hollyhocks will live longer than that and get large enough to do some damage to your sidewalk of driveway, but that would only be because where you have them planted isn't a large enough space for their roots to grow properly. If you have single-flowered (one row of petals like a daisy) hollyhocks, you might also run into a problem of them being a little too prolific. If you keep the plants in check (removing extra hollyhock plants and cutting back flowers and stems immediately after their flowers fade) you shouldn't have too many problems in a mostly concrete space like a driveway. Many well-tended English gardens have hollyhocks growing right up against the house without problems.

Where most of the Hollyhock's fibrous roots converge (the thickest part) will be the top. The end(s) were it is thin and fibrous is the bottom.

Hollyhocks generally have a tap root that does not transplant well. The fact that your plants were out of the ground for a length of time also does not work on your behalf.
You can grow Hollyhocks in containers, but they will need to have a large container to do well.
A great way to start the flowers and have a blooms quicker is to start the flowers from bare roots.

Here are some links with more information.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/tips-on-hollyhocks-growing-hollyhocks-successfully.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/planting-hollyhock-roots.htm

Hollyhocks will likely not do well in this type of soil.

Here is a link that will give you care requirements for Hollyhocks.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hollyhock/tips-on-hollyhocks-growing-hollyhocks-successfully.htm

Hollyhock perhaps. If so will grow to 6 feet

You can try a phosphorus rich fertilizer to increase blooms, such as bone meal or a bloom boosting fertilizer

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/bone-meal-fertilizer.htm