http://www.readjohnmmclaughlin.com/?educ=maps10 I grew this Globe Artichoke from seed many years ago and it attracts lots of attention from passers-by, as well as bees and other insects.
You can eat the young artichokes before they flower and they are said to be very tasty. However, I have always grown it as an ornamental plant to attract bees to the garden.
The stunning flowers of Cynara scolymus Large Green
This variety is Cynara scolymus Large Green and the flower looks attractive for many weeks. A word of warning – don’t grow it near a path as it is very spiky and invariably flops over.
Towards the end of the summer when the leaves start to look very tatty, I cut them to ground level as necessary. It is said to be frost sensitive, but this one survives living in our heavy clay soil, surrounded by shrubs.