I grow Cynara cardunculus, which is very similar. Your plants are 'Globe artichokes' while mine are more the ornamental ones. They like full sun, well-drained soil, and some shelter from wind. If you want to, you can leave the flower head on as it's a feature in the winter - or cut the stem back after it's flowered.

thanks for that info, so if i leave teh flowers on in winter will it still flower the year after or will the flower simply just die and produce more the following year

The whole plant dies back, and you'll get new growth in the spring, hopefully with more flowers! :-)