I’m a big fan of all thistle species; I love the purple colour and the shape of their flowers, and I appreciate what valuable plants they are for wildlife, both for insects and birds.

I don’t see Woolly thistle (Cirsium eriophorum) very often but it is certainly one of my favourite thistles, for the woolly looking stems and the generous size of its flowers and, most especially, for the spiralling symmetry of the flower heads.