These guys were fighting over the pollen in the cardoon flowers on my allotment. How many can you count? ( photo / image / picture from EJ's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from EJ's Garden )
I count five!! Gosh they certainly love those cardoons don't they? Your photograph would make a smashing caption competition entry. :-D
Great fotos, EJ. I really like those cardoon blooms. I've never seen so many bees on one of them, though.
I counted five, too. I love the color of the blooms. I have never grown them. Are they hard to grow? Maybe I'll try them, just for the flowers, of course. dooley
Great picture, Sjoerd. You have peaked my interest in Caroons. I have never heard of a caroon before. Wonder if they grow in Canada? Can anyone enlighten me about Caroons? please
Canadian Chelsea, the cardoon is a large thistle plant which I grow on the allotment. The flowers can reach to over 12 foot in height in a good wet year, but this year they are about 8 foot, so hubby took the photo on tip toes, just holding the camera and hoping they would come out. You can wrap cardboard around the young flower stems and blanch them for a few weeks and then cook them, apparently like celery, although I have never tried it. To be honest, I grow them for the bumble bees who, as you can see, LOVE the flowers. They seem to be quite tough, although I believe they aren't 100% hardy, but it is more a case of them rotting if they sit in cold, wet soil over the winter. Thanks for the lovely comments everyone. Every flower head was like that, and the bumblees were positively drunk!
