A Facebook friend just nominated me for a 5 day Black and White challenge. From my artist page stats it appears that black and white photos of flowers are an acquired or particular taste as these tend to be my least popular. Unless I just still need to learn to take better black and white floral pics!
Photo 1: Gardenia
Photo 2: Hydrangea
Photo 3: Cardoon
Photo 4: Mum and quills
Photo 5: Gerbera
Spotted these plants while walking through a park in Brighton yesterday. I was struck by the huge size of the plant that towered above me. When I saw the buds I thought of artichokes. When I saw the blooms, that are about the size of my hand, it looked remarkably like a giant thistle. I discovered after some online investigation that it is a Cardoon bloom or Cynara cardunculus and is in fact edible.
Rather extraordinary.
Photo: Cardoon flower up close
Photo: Cardoon flower bud
Photo: Cardoon flower bud with ladybird
Photo: Cardoon flower side on
