Marigold

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Marigolds

Marigold (nat. ord. Composite).

Well-known, free-flowering hardy and half-hardy annuals with handsome double flowers, of rich and beautiful colours, producing a splendid effect, whether planted in beds, borders, or ribbons.

These annuals were in former years very much in request; but, as many very beautiful and once popular garden flowers have done, in common with the marigold, have been well-nigh forgotten for a time, and have had to give place to others which have had in reality but little to recommend them beyond the fact that they are "novelties," and so cannot fail to be worthy of notice. But just as the wheel revolves and the spoke which is pointing to the ground is presently brought into a direction directly opposite, so the marigold, now greatly improved by culture, is rapidly regaining popularity and resuming its former position among the favourites of the garden.

The common marigold (Calendula officinalis) has large daisy-shaped flowers varying in colour from pale yellow to deep orange. They are grown for the sake of the flowers which are dried and made. A. alba variegatum, the white ' used in broths and. soups. The African marigolds (Tagetes erecta), the tallest, are also the most striking in large beds, mixed flower and shrubbery borders. The shorter French marigolds (Tagetes patuld), in beds, or used as a foreground to taller plant, are invaluable, while the new brown and new orange miniature French varieties make splendid compact edgings to beds or borders. All sorts are propagated by seeds sown in March and April.