Cynara cardunculus | Cardoon | Porto Spineless Yarrow In the autumn garden

In the autumn garden

It's not hard to get addicted to these gorgeous flowers

It is also quite tolerant of most soils and does not require fertilizing

Apply a mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots from frost damage and cut back the plant in spring when new shoots appear low down at the base

Cynara cardunculus | Cardoon | Porto Spineless Yarrow In the autumn gardenCynara cardunculus or Cardoons are aristocrats in both the ornamental and the vegetable world. This striking architectural plant is valued for its dramatic foliage. The leaves are arching and deeply toothed and are a soft grey green in colour. We have them in our white garden and they are a real statement plant. In summer they bear tall flower stems that a topped with chubby thistle buds which open to the most stunning violet blue purple flowers that