Background Separation

I've rather got behind with the A Year With My Camera tutorials recently, so thought I'd better have a go at this week's project, by trying a large aperture to create a bit of background separation (not totally successfully I have to say).

This is one of the flowers from one of the bouquets Tess has received recently; can anyone help me by identifying what it is? (I'm assuming it's a thistle)

Henri and I enjoyed an exciting round of golf in beautiful weather this morning, with the lead changing hands several times before the outcome was settled on the final hole.