Our Gardens

Hello @Sister you are so right, they never had the chance to flower!

Your Mum's would have been eaten before they got to that stage, wouldn't they @Giovanna_BCNA  I have always wanted to try them but not sure that I can make head or tail of the recipes.

Loving all these photos & stories 

hello @Zoffiel
I love artichokes and have never seen the plants flower! Wow amazing, my mum used to have those in her garden.

That is amazing @Zoffiel  - I never 'took to them' as a food source ...... seemed a waste of time, sucking the leaves of what appeared to be a succulent ..... and no bloody flavour either ...... but STUNNING as a plant!

@"Annie C"  - the bird parents who lost the first lot of chicks have built another nest in a 'lesser bush' and had another clutch of chicks ... but now it is down to 1 again!  :(   

First nest that was very sturdy & protected from the wind (both died or taken by other birds)


2nd nest in inappropriate tree ... and VERY flimsy nest - now only with one chick!  (Two at time of pic.)

They are a thistle, @j9k The biggest ones are nearly a foot (or 30 cm for the youngsters) across and they are heaving with bees. When you get close there are dozens of bee bums wiggling around as they burrow down to the bottom of the flower. I'm watching a doco on Dame Edna at the moment and someone mentioned an 'orgiastic revelment of comedy' Artichokes are an orgiastic revelment of bees. Revelment isn't a word according to spell check. I think it should bee. :)

@Zoffiel
What a stunning background for other plants. I think I would rather plant them for their flower colour and structure than their nutritional value. Better watch out Marg, the Triffids might be taking revenge in your garden.