After our share of thistle hearts (in case you didn’t already know, artichokes are in the thistle family), I let the last few buds go to flower.
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This was not the only bee allowed a last fling before I cut the flowers.
If you get a chance to feel them, fresh artichoke flower tops are very soft.
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A dried artichoke flower from last year is on the left and a fresh cut flower on the right. Not only the color of the new flower base (it is green), but its shape reveal the difference in age of the two. As water evaporates, the bud will shrink and lose weight quite a bit.
These flowers are standing in a Goddess Vase that I made.
I love to play/work in the mud – clay and flowers both live in dirt.
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One of the coolest things about artichokes, is that the mother plant that yielded delicious eating chokes and pretty flowers for drying, makes baby plants before it dies.
There are two artichoke plants coming from the ground, in the photo above. On the left side is new growth with the mother plant’s leaves turning yellow on the right side.
susansflowers 
July 20, 2015 at 11:41 pm
I don’t know what’s more interesting…the purple flowers or the amazing vase you made! You are truly the most artistically talented person I know!:) I love all your posts!!
July 21, 2015 at 12:46 am
I didn’t know they were so beautiful… Thanks so much for sharing these!!
July 22, 2015 at 4:04 pm
It is fun for me to learn & discover so many things about the garden. And I thought kids & pets were full of surprises, plants have their surprises, too!