Cardoon in silhouette

really like these, a lady whos garden i walk by somtimes dug me up some of hers :) ive only had one head from mine which is in a vase in my living room...

i bet they look glorious...

from jane...

Thanks Jane - I love them too and plenty of flowerheads to open too!

welcome, you know when they open and just before they almost fly away :) thats when i cut my only one, its like its suspended in time still is as purple as the day i cut it plus just a few bits look like they about to go airborn...
any tips to help the one growing in garden to gain more heads?
nice reminder this photo. thx...

from jane...

Lovely - I've only ever managed 2 or 3 flower heads from mine, it usually gets wind damaged before it gets to flower proper!

Jane, I have never had problems getting this to produce flower heads. I've had it 3 years and each year it's had in excess of 15 buds. Lack of sun stopped it flowering properly previously, this year I'm hoping things will be different!
Sarah - wind usually does this one in too! They are big thirsty plants - do you give it enough water and does it get enough sun?
I don't know what advice to give both of you as I do nothing special with it!
I cut mine back each winter (before frosts) to around 6 inches and protect the crown with straw. I have never fed it with anything.
One thing I do, but don't know if it helps make the plant bigger, is remove the lower leaves as it's growing. They get too big they just flop over anyway, I cut them as close to the base as I can get.