Hi there, could it be a cirsium? I'm not too sure but someone here will know. I decided to grow lots of tall plants this year and most of them are looking a bit wind battered now.

Hmmm, the name does not ring a bell with me. Although, they do look pretty similar. However, the foliage looks very different. Cirsium looks very much like our native thistle! :)

Has the look of Centaurea montana Joyce.

Looks like Centaurea Nigra (Knapweed) to me too.

or Centaurea pulchrima. mine looks like this at the moment, a good dead head and expect some further flowers late August.

Thanks. Centaura does ring a bell with me and must be right. Although, I could never remember the variant now. I'll settle for Centaura........ of some variant. :)

Does centaurea dealbata ring any bells?

I am afraid that I planted this plant so many years ago, that I doubt that anything would ring any bells now. :)

going by the foliage Andrewr's suggestion is a better shout. I used to have this and the finer cut leaf is typical of it. and it was 'common' in the gc about 10 yrs ago.

Ten years ago may not be too far off the mark with this. The plant is in a pretty sorry state just now or I would take clearer images of the foliage. But it would not be worth it at present.