Cynara cardunculus (Cardoon)

brilliant photo

Thats brill

Stunning photo

That is very nice

Excellent photo.

I'll tell him you liked it!

I have a baby one of these - it has been fun watching the big bud develop - like the plant in 'Little Shop of Horrors' ;-)

love this! Easy to grow?

Do they like being at the back of a sunny border near brick wall?

Errrr.... mine is in the sunniest border, but it is right in the middle and nowhere near a wall, Gwenda! It just... grows, I don't do anything except dead-head and cut the stem back when it's finished. It pops back up in the spring. That is of NO USE to you as advice, sorry!

i hate to state the obvious is that pink rather than blue ? lovley picture bye the way

The top part is a purple-y colour, Np.

Funnily enough, it hasn't grown nearly as tall this year. It's in bud at the moment.

will it grow blue like mine or is it a pink veriaty.mine is smaller than it has bean actualy

No, it's always purple, Np. Funny they are both smaller, though!

yes you got any spare seeds ill swap you lol

I'll have to remember not to chop its head off, then! lol.

me to how long do i leave it.till it starts falling apart and how do i get the seeds ready ? i dont want a lot do i spritz lol ?

I haven't a clue, as I've always dead-headed it so that new flowers appear in the side-shoots. Then when they die off, I chop them off to tidy the plant up!

ok know worries spritz lol

Sheringham The Lees gardens has several of these
people have picked the heads in the belief they are Artichokes.

Well, in a way, they are! They're closely related, and the leafribs and stalks are edible.

My faverite flower .

It's in flower at the moment, Np. I haven't taken its photo this year.

Mine have just finished .

Mine have several more buds, but with no sun, they might not open. :-(

Mine are finkshed now .

Shame. :-(

Yes it is but you cant have life without death realy . bring on next summer i say . BbbbbbbbAaaaaaaaaaaa humbug lol x .

Oh, me too - this summer has been a waste of time. We've has grey skies and very little sunshine here.

That must mean a lovley summwr next year spritz lol x .

Wouldn't that be great! :-D)

will be great spritz be posotive lol x .

OK. ;-D