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Profile Image Rich Spicer

richard.spicer.7906

St Albans based, career changer and studying Horticulture. Bulb addict, South African plant fan and converted succulent lover

Cynara cardunculus syn. Cynara cardunculus Cardoon

  • Season Icon Mid SummerMid Summer 2020
  • Like Count 80
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richard.spicer.7906

It’s like a bee maze 😄🐝 #bee #wildlifewednesday #cardoon #cynara-cardunculus #cynaracardunculus #cynara

4w
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richard.spicer.7906

Normally these are about 10ft tall, but the recent wind has made one of the stems lean forward significantly - can get right close to flowers with my phone now rather than using the zoom on my SLR from below!

4w
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saco

Wow!! Thanks for sharing this beaut!! @richard.spicer.7906

4w
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johninbrighton

@Richard.spicer.7906............ Brilliant photo Richard ........ love it .

4w
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houseofflowers

This is incredible! Like an alien sea urchin!!

4w
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carolgs

Wow such an intense blue 💙💙

4w
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laketitlow

Pretty

4w
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midnightgardener

Wow!! That's amazing. Great photo 💙💙💜

4w
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richard.spicer.7906

Thanks everyone 😊 sorry taken ages to reply, haven’t had much time outside work at the moment. @saco @gjones @johninbrighton @houseofflowers @carolgs @laketitlow @midnightgardener

4w
  • Season Icon Mid SummerMid Summer 2017
  • Like Count 94
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richard.spicer.7906

The last one for today, and from the garden. The sun has come out finally in Hertfordshire and these cardoon flowers are looking great. It was only a month ago that they were covered in blackfly, but ladybird larvae and other natural predators have been rampaging through them and it seems to have worked well #cardoon #cynara #cynara-cardunculus

7w
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clipperty

Ohhh that's why I got so fed up with mine and dug it out - permanently covered in blackfly. Glad the ladybirds came to the rescue in your garden though! X

7w
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pauline33

Well certainly looking fabulous now 👏🐞😍

7w
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wenz

They look fabulous. Anyone else suffering badly with blackfly this year ? Any remedies ? Tried hose spraying but not really successful

7w
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kathy

Well done nature

7w
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richard.spicer.7906

I must admit it looked dreadful @clipperty - but I could see the larvae and I thought I'd give it a couple of weeks and see if it improves, and it's about 80% better. You can still see some of the Blackfly 'debrie' just below the flowers. They are still there a little bit but not quite so unsightly now

7w
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richard.spicer.7906

@wenz have you tried spraying with a mild soapy washing liquid solution? That might help a little and is organic still 👍🏼

7w
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vec

Lovely 💜💜💜 Waiting for my flowers to pop open. I've given mine a bit of a tidy up as some of the lower leaves were looking very unsightly but what a monster of a plant ☺

7w
  • Season Icon Mid SpringMid Spring 2017
  • Like Count 83
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richard.spicer.7906

My #cardoon is huge this year!! 😳 it's only the beginning of May and it's already 1.5 metres tall. It's completely shadowing the Camassia, Foxtail Lily and Alliums towards the front of the border. It's gonna be some display when the flowers appear 😀 #cynara #cynara-cardunculus

8w
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mattiebe

One of my favourite plants, looking good.

8w
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SylviaDavies

That looks wonderful!

8w
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clipperty

They are so statuesque. Years ago I opened my garden for the NGS, the most asked question was - What's that? (Of the cardoon)! Xx

8w
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nessas

Wow that going to be spectacular 💜

8w
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tina

Looks great Rich

8w
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ada31514

I have one waiting to go in the garden. Can it go out now @richard.spicer.7906 I think it would fair better outside

8w
  • Season Icon Mid SummerMid Summer 2016
  • Like Count 108
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richard.spicer.7906

Close up of the flower. I had to stand on a dining room chair to see it fully! #cynara #cardoon #purple #cynara-cardunculus

8w
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lamaisonbleueoleron

😳🙄🙃 Hi Richard, Welcome to my world! I need to get the ladder out, each time to take snaps 😏 I'm thinking maybe I need to invest in a drone 🤔 😊😉👍 looking good 👌

8w
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sara2309

Love it Richard 😍

8w
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fuschia

Oh wow Richard thats amazing 😍

8w
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godfreye

Great picture🤗

8w
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riakat

Great photo 😃👏They are so eye-catching...first saw them in a botanical garden and made my jaw drop!

8w
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SikoMa

Beautiful, but I have to stand on a dining room chair just to reach the plates in kitchen cabinets😂.

8w
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Naomi126

👍🏼😀👌🏻

8w
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wings88

I love these they remind me of Scotland Christmas

8w
8w
  • Season Icon Mid SummerMid Summer 2016
  • Like Count 55
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richard.spicer.7906

Just looking out of the kitchen window and noticed the Cardoon is now flowering 😁 - it's about 6ft tall. However, the rest of the dry border seems to be a little tired looking and green right now. I may need to make a few tweaks come late autumn. Somewhere behind the Golden Rod on the right is my Californian Tree Poppy and my Echinops! 😑 #cardoon #cynara #cynara-cardunculus

8w
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stephent

Gorgeous @richard.spicer.7906

8w
  • Season Icon Mid WinterMid Winter 2016
  • Like Count 19
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richard.spicer.7906

My Cardoon at the weekend, enjoying the winter sun ☀️ #cynara #cynara-cardunculus #cardoon

9w
9w
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lamaisonbleueoleron

@richard.spicer.7906 👏🏼👌looking good. I'll post a snap later of mine currently growing 🙃

9w
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debs69

Looking good @richard.spicer.7906 👍🤓

9w
  • Season Icon Late AutumnLate Autumn 2015
  • Like Count 16
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richard.spicer.7906

@lamaisonbleueoleron - he's my young Cardoon, although it's now under the protection of one of my mini cloches 🤓 #cynara #cynara-cardunculus #cardoon

9w
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richard.spicer.7906

Planted 15th November

9w
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fuschia

Hope it takes off Richard x

9w
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lamaisonbleueoleron

How is now ?

8w