Echinops is a fantastic plant for tough spots in the garden. It’s highly attractive to bees and butterflies and makes a dramatic impact in beds, borders, and cut flower gardens. Once established, it requires little care, resists pests and drought, and offers long-lasting colour and interest. It pairs beautifully with grasses, lavender, yarrow, and other sun-loving perennials. With it’s one metre stems, it is a real architectural marvel for your garden!

Echinops ritro ‘Violet’, also known as Globe Thistle, is a striking ornamental perennial with bold texture and brilliant colour. Its spiky, spherical flowers and silvery foliage make it a standout feature in borders, wildflower gardens, or modern landscapes. This variety is particularly attractive to pollinators and very hardy once established.

Echinops ritro is native to southern and eastern Europe and parts of western Asia. It grows naturally in dry, open meadows and hillsides. It has long been cultivated in European gardens for its unusual shape and low-maintenance nature. The cultivated variety ‘Violet’ is grown specifically for its vibrant bluish-violet flower heads.

The flower heads are globe-shaped and consist of many tiny, tubular flowers. The colour is a rich violet to bluish-purple, often appearing almost metallic in bright sunlight. The blooms are held high above the foliage on sturdy stems, giving the plant a bold architectural quality.

Echinops ritro is a drought-tolerant, hardy perennial that forms a clump of deeply cut, silvery-green leaves. It thrives in:

• full sun

• well-drained soil (sandy or gravelly soils are ideal)

• low to moderate water

• areas where airflow is good, to avoid humidity-related issues

It grows to about 60 to 90 cm high, with flower stems reaching up to 1 metre. Flowering occurs from mid to late summer. The dried seed heads can be left on the plant for winter interest or used in dried floral arrangements.

How to grow from seeds:

The seeds need:

• a period of cold or darkness can help improve germination

• a well-drained seed-raising mix

• warmth for sprouting

How to sow:

1. sow seeds in late winter to early spring in trays or pots

2. cover lightly with fine soil or vermiculite – they need a little darkness to germinate

3. keep moist but not wet

4. place in a warm, sheltered location (ideal temperature 18–22°C)

5. germination usually takes 14 to 30 days

6. transplant seedlings once large enough to handle, spacing about 30 to 45 cm apart

7. choose a sunny, open location for planting out