In general, I’m not a big fan of annuals although I have, on occasion, come to the defense of pansies and geraniums. I prefer perennials, in part, because I don’t relish the thought of having to replant the garden each spring. But mostly I prefer working with them because I love the way they change, as their root systems develop, and come back more lush and full every year.
So Marigolds (Tagetes Patula and Tagetes Erecta) have two things against them: they’re annuals and, well, they’re Marigolds.
From a purely information perspective, Marigolds are one of approximately 52 species of flowering plants in the daisy, sunflower, aster family (Asteraceae or Compositae). Although the two most popular groups of Marigolds in the United States are called French Marigolds (Tagetes Patula) and African Marigolds (Tagetes Erecta), in fact the species is native to the southwestern U.S., Mexico and South America. And marigolds have a long, pre-hispanic, history of medicinal use in Mexico.
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French Marigold (Tagetes Patula)
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Marigolds have a pungent smell and there is evidence that they repel certain kinds of insects. As such they’re often planted as “companions” along the borders of vegetable gardens to serve as natural pest repellents. Both French and African Marigolds range in color from yellow, to orange to dark red in either solid or multiple color variations.
As members of the Asteraceae or Compositae families, each Marigold flower is actually a composite of many smaller flowers of different shapes and sizes on a single stem. This common characteristic of the Compositae family is called pseudanthium and is a type of inflorescence.
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French Marigold (Tagetes Patula )
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So what is it about Marigolds that I don’t like. There’s not one specific thing, really. Maybe it’s their smell, or maybe it’s that their presence signals the end of the summer, or maybe it’s their color. It’s just sort of everything about them!
But one of the things I’ve learned as I’ve been photographing gardens for this blog, is that when I start to get close and really look at the details of any flower, or grass, or shrub, or tree – and I forget about the state of the garden they’re in, or the container, or whatever is around them. Then I begin to see that flower, or that tree, with a different perspective.
And from that perspective it’s hard to be anything but amazed of their exquisite details – their colors, the way they’re put together, the way every part of them has a purpose, the intricate and exacting design of each of them. And I always come away with an abiding appreciation for their perfection.
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African Marigold (Tagetes Erecta)
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So I have a feeling that will eventually happen with Marigolds, as well. It just might take a little while and a few more (hundred) (… kidding!) photographs. And I’ll try to hold the Buddha’s advice in mind, “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
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