The thistley looking plant is now showing the globes of flower but
these are not blue as suggested - they are just a dull green. will
these turn blue are is this a different plant than suspected?

I will post an updated picture soon.

As for the other plant it hasnt changed in appearance yet, other than
growing a bit taller.

Thanks
Marc.c


DavePoole Torquay wrote:
The second is Echinops ritro and easy and popular herbaceous plant
carry steely blue globes of flower in mid-summer. It grows to 4 or 5
feet and its only real failings are a tendency to getting mildew on
poor dry soils and occasionally flopping over, so it may need some
staking. The first is more difficult because the detail. It's not
great willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum) and it certainly isn't Rose-Bay
(Chamerion augusifolium). There's a bit of a look of perennial
Helianthus (sunflower) about those stems, but even if it isn't I
suspect you need to be thinking perennial daisy relatives. Wait until
both flower and then decide whether you like them - neither swamp you
out.