Artichoke from seed

I know PP started some but I was wondering if they are worth growing as a cut flower?

How many stems do you get in a year? How close do you plant. Will start from seed this month - so I'm looking at what I will be able to cut neat year.

I get one central flower and then lots of smaller flowering side shoots. Last year's best doer (violet de provence) gave over 30 heads, but I pick small so maybe it would be less productive if you were letting them grow on?
I plant about 75cm apart, 2 rows in a 1.5m wide bed. My neighbour replants from off shoots each year but mine have always died, so I just leave the plants to get huge. I've replaced them once in 10 years, but that was because the voles eventually ate the lot

Thanks PP, it's the Violet de P that I have. I'm going to give them a go. I think they would look lovely in a bunch of flowers.

The only downside I've found is they get really infested with aphids later in the spring, but I watched a market gardener blasting them off with a hose once picked so that might do it. I soak the harvested heads in very salty water before prepping and that removes the aphids. 
The leaves are spectacular too, of course

They are worth growing the only downside is the chunky stems especially on the first one.As PP said the leaves are good too and they last well in a vase and are happy to have bits torn off them so they are what you want in a vase. (Hope that makes sense)

The whole packet sown

Not sure I'll have the space to plant any - but I live in hope!