Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Garden Dreams: Flowering (and edible!!) Artichoke

How surprising to find 
that more than butter
the artichoke 
is meant for bees.

I look forward to planting this hard-edged, mysterious flower in my garden this summer.  I have looked forward to it now since my friend Jane came back with photos after her trip to Italy.  "Is that real?" I asked.  "Is that the same kind we eat?"  Oh yes, it is.  Hard to believe that such a dream of color can erupt from those sharp leaves.

A perennial thistle requires lots of soil care but will pay your efforts back with forty or fifty buds if you're lucky.  They love the sun (think Italy) but produce best in cooler weather.... This could be a challenge in Virginia but I'll keep you posted. 

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