A bright garden flower (Marigold)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Marigold
Date:	14/09/06 (983 review reads)
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Marigold if someone said have you any marigolds in your garden I would say yes, but would I mean tagetees the Mexican, African or French marigold? The Glenionis segetun the corn marigold or the calendula the pot marigold? These are all members of the Asteracea family. I might of course mean the marsh marigold Caltha palustris family Ranunculaceae (buttercup family)

I have had a marsh marigold in a pond where I lived a few years ago, and I have had tagetees growing in the garden. The picture that is on this site is of a calendula called marigold or pot marigold.

The marigold grows to about 50cm tall the plant spreads about 40cm. It has simple leaves 5-18cm long which are hairy. The flowers are daisies like 3-7cm across some species are a single row of petals other double. If you want to prolong the flowering season dead head the flowers the plant will make new flowers.

I have many of these in the garden some a pale yellow some a brighter orange. I seeded some of these flowers many years ago and they have self set all over the garden some in my flower border some in my vegetable patch I have not the heart to pull them out.
So as you can guess from that they are very easy to grow from seed. The seed is available from garden centres, seeds merchant’s even supermarkets. The website http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/ sells quite a few varieties of different shades of yellow and orange costing between £1. 50 and £2.00 for a packet
I usually save some of the seeds from my flowers and sow them in the garden March April time.

They grow well in my chalk soil also in my dad’s clay soil. They are ideal for sowing in pots for the patio. These bright flowers are certainly cheerful, I have seen bees visiting these flowers and a few other flying insects not many butterflies though. In the morning sun you see the closed flowers open and in the evening the petals close.
The marigold can be used medicinally apparently it they grow well in my chalk soil also in my dad’s clay soil. They are ideal for sowing in pots for the patio
They grow well in my chalk soil also in my dad’s clay soil. They are ideal for sowing in pots for the patio

The marigold can be used medicinally apparently has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties and is excellent for treating the skin also,
I believe the flowers can also be used for cooking the colour obtained from marigolds used to be used to colour cheese and butter.
Do not take my word for the medicinal and cookery uses of marigolds. check it out thouroughly if you are going to use them.
The website of the herb society gives more detail about these uses
http://www.herbsociety.co.uk

Summary: a golden flower in the garden