Photo fest

As you can see the camera's back from its holidays in Barcelona and has wasted no time in getting back to work photographing various things on the allotment, like this stunning cardoon bud.

Cardoon flowers, once they're in bloom, are huge - the size of a honeydew melon, roughly. The bees are mesmerised by the tufty electric blue flower. Fact: the cardoon and the artichoke are both from the same family as the sunflower.

Comments

[Pamela]

Can you eat the cardoon buds like artichokes? I've only eaten the stems before.

[Jane Perrone]

Hi Pamela

Yes, you're right: the flowers are large but spiky and inedible (although birds love the seeds so it is worth leaving the flower heads intact over winter), but the stems are supposed to be good. I am going to try them out for myself this autumn, once I've blanched them (probably by wrapping them in newspaper for a few weeks).

jane

[Linda Ray]

Hi,
I'm from Louisiana and visited Hampton Court last spring (Easter week). There was a beautiful, silvery-leafed, huge plant in a border by the brick wall. I think it's a cardoon. I would love to have one growing in my yard. We have long, hot, humid summers and mild winters. We have thistle plants that grow wild so do you think a cardoon might grow in this climate? Do you start them from seeds? Where could I get this plant in the USA? Thanks so much.
Linda Ray

[Jane Perrone]

Hi Linda

Well this plant was indigenous to the Med and North Africa so I would think it's worth giving it a try. You can either grow from seed or buy plants as offshoots. I am not sure where you'd get them in the US, but I'd seek advice from some of the more specialist nurseries or seed merchants. Good luck! Hope you enjoyed your visit to London.

jane