It's that part of summer when the blue spheres of the Globe Thistle (Echinops) are in bloom. We've grown them for years because bees love the flowers and seed-eating birds like finches appreciate the the nutritious seed heads during the fall and winter.
Most gardeners are hesitant to grow any plant that has "thistle" as part of its name and who can blame them? But fear not. Globe Thistle is pretty mild-mannered in the garden. The plants grow from 3 to 4 feet tall. The leaves are a little prickly on the edges but nothing like the weedy thistles that occasionally make an appearance in our flower beds.
Globe Thistle loves sun and heat. They don't have any special requirements when it comes to soil. The bright blue flower heads make a really nice accent in the garden, especially as summer wears on and there are fewer plants in bloom.
