question for my horticulturally inclined friends

Friends - those of you who garden - what is this? A thistle, right, and past its season. Looks rather like an artichoke - the two are related, I recall. I'm curious, though. Handsome plants standing tall amid the other flowers planted in some park gardens on the south side of False Creek. We saw these impressive ones last night on a stroll back home from dinner.





Jeph? Anyone? Let me know!