Independent Spirit

The common thistle is a relative of the sunflower family, not quite as gentle but at least as recognisable. Apparently the thistle is symbolic of independence and nobility-it's meaning was certainly widely debated when we chose it as part of our logo.

Given the legend surrounding the Scottish thistle, the plant clearly shows bravery, courage and loyalty in the face of treachery. The tough, painful spikes of the plant itself suggest endurance and fortitude. As plant expert Arthur Lee Jacobson says about another thistle, "Though we cannot beat, nor like, nor use the damn thing, we must at least respect it as a formidable foe."

But as Abraham Lincoln says, “All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind.”