Is this the mother of all weeds?

I've got eleven of the Teasels, which is 3 more than last year. I love them as they such striking plants. The birds love the seeds and the bees go mad over the flowering thistle. Centuries ago the thistle head was used as a comb for your hair.....Ziggy still does

 

For me, they are a plant worth keeping, although they can self seed in the most awkward of places but since there's a fair number of them I can take out the ones that are in the "wrong" place.

 

Yep, immediately before he had his pic taken at Shiney's Open Day, he's so vain!!!

 

I know what you mean Clueless. the plant itself is striking but the seed head with the blue stamens is even more striking.

Here's one that flowered last year:


I would definitely recommend you grow some as they are so different to the usual border plants and they are very attractive to the wildlife.

 

Shouldn't be a problem, Clueless. As I said they tend to self seed in the most awkward of areas and that includes shady areas!!! One last year grew up right beside one of the two big conifers in the garden and was constantly in the shade until the evening. They seem to be happy anywhere

 

Is that what he put on my seat before I sat on it?

 

No, Harry, it won't but what happens that the generations of self seeded ones will "stagger" the flowering so that you end up getting some teasels flowering every year.

 

What you find, Harry, is that you do end up with the flowering every year because of the number that seed and, well in my garden, you miss one it fills in the blank year. To me they're a worthwhile plant as they're very striking and go through the Winter looking fantastic with the frost on them.
This are the current Teasels I've got in the borders after already taking out a number because they were in awkward places, and some still are in "debatable" places.





There's actually 3 Teasels in this pic, one is hiding behind the nearest plant and is to the left.




This is probably in the wrong place as it's competing with a Rose "Kings Ransom" and the Clematis on the Trellis entrance, but I'm holding off pulling it out as so far the other plants seem unaffected.


There's also one inside the Trellis entrance being smothered by the Clematis and Sweetpeas so there's a fight going on there!, plus there's probably another 3 or four dotted around. So as the birds and insects love Teasels I guess they're here to stay......with some judicious control