Silybum marianum (Blessed Mary's Thistle)

These r Pretty Dawn well done :) i see uv made & used News Paper Pots :)

These are lovely gorgeous pattern on the leaves.

Just searched this as a new one to me, love it gorgeous leaves :-)

I agree, the leaves are lovely Morgana. Really spikey though.
Glad you like it Simbad.
Hi Jacque - yes, I brought up your blog from last year on how to make the pots, they are fantastic, thank you. I never seem to have enough small pots.
I did think about you as I was rolling the newspaper round the baked beans can, lol.

lol its nice to be thought of Dawn :) lol

We grow these have several still in the garden, they get very big here do yours?

Hi DD: Sid tells me that this variety only gets to about 2 feet high by 2/3 feet wide.

Ooo - these are coming along well Dawn! I will be interested how these perform over the winter, as I sowed mine in spring. Regular updates pleeeease ;-)

Will do Sid - I set 6 seeds and 4 grew so that's good. I saved the others to set in Spring.They are in the cold greenhouse so I hope they'll be OK. They need re-potting again - will have to find a can bigger than a bean can to make more newspaper pots, lol.
I will update you Sid and thanks again.

Good pots! I would think they'll be going dormant any time soon.

Maybe I'll leave them in these pots then Sid.

I like the varigated leaves............

Think I would....then you can just drop the paperpot into the ground at planting time - no need to remove it!

Ours make at least 4ft but, it may be a different variety, no, just checked RHS plant finder, same as yours, so will watch this space!!

thanks Sid, I wondered if they could be left in the pots, I'll do that then.
Ok Dotty.

Dotty - do you sow yours in the spring or autumn?

nice patern on leaves dawn ;o) look healthy to

You should see Sid's pictures of the mature plants - beautiful.

will go look dawn ;o)

Is that really it's name Dawn .. well you would have a sillybum if you sat on them ... LOL...

Well done for growing them from seed .. :o)

Hi Dawn Jane here.Wow...they look well ! Have left mine and planned to sow in spring as Sid says ! Hope they do well and look forward to updates too !

Amy - it's a sore bum you'd have, not a silly one ;-)

LOL.. yes Sid .. quite right .... you would feel a silly whatsit for sitting on it :o) I love this plant .. If anyone has a spare seed or two next year , please remember me .. Big smile .:o)

PM-ing you Amy ;-)

Sid: How do you collect the seeds (being very optimistic) and do you think mine will be OK over Winter.

Did we dont bother seeding them they come up all over the garden, usually in the front of the border, smothering all in their wake. I shall have to put a fully grown one on my pics, put a leaf on in the summer.

That would be great Dotty, look forward to seeing it.

Dawn - very easy to collect the seeds - when the flower has died off and the remaining part of the old flower head starts to look fluffy - just like a normal wild thistle really. I would think yours will be fine over winter, but can't say for sure as this year was the first time I'd grown them and I sowed in spring - I would think they are hardy and will be fine, especially in light of what Dotty says. If you have a disaster Dawn I'll send you some more seeds so don't worry! :-)

Thanks Sid, that's wonderful.

Hi Dawn - so how did you get on with these in the end?

Hello Sid, how are you. They did really well, thank you so much. I have them dotted around the garden now and I've collected my own seed this year :-) I put a photo on for you to see - page 5 of my photos, 2nd row down, last photo. Thanks again.