Cirsium rivulare atropurpureum

Today's the day .................. for the thistle crew*

I love this plant - and every year when it re-appears in the garden from nowhere I welcome it with open arms!

Although it's related to the garden thistles that gardeners strive so hard to get rid of, Atropurpureum is a tall statuesque plant that is perfect for the herbaceous border. It produces elegant, long, leafless stems, each topped with a huge magenta-pink thistle head.

When I went with my very good friend Roma, to the Chelsea Flower Show back in 1996, it was most definitely the in plant of the year. She kindly bought me one - and it's been flourishing in my garden ever since ..................




* If this doesn't mean anything to you - then you've never had a child who used to go to raves ........?!