the choke cometh

we planted two artichoke plants this summer, but only one made it to flowering (they're slow poke perennials that die back and then gather speed in the second and third year). It did get two flowers, one of which we tried to eat even thought the ants had been aphid farming on it the whole time it was growing. It was totally inedible, so we let the second go all the way to flower, and it's just been opening up this week. bizarre and magnificent!