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.

OK, thanks for all your replies. The general opinion seems to be to
wait until they flower. I will certainly wait and post some images as
soon as they do.
Thanks again for all your help so far.
Marc.c

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.

Cokey writes
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?

That's a globe full of buds. The buds will open and you will then have a
globe full of open blue flowers.

--
Kay

Lovely, thanks Kay
Marc.c


K wrote:
Cokey writes
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?

That's a globe full of buds. The buds will open and you will then have a
globe full of open blue flowers.

--
Kay