Merry-Golds...

 "Here's flowers for you, hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram. The MariGold." (Winter's tale. Act 4 Scene 4 .....William Shakespeare)

 Marigolds are merry little annuals....

 Orange, Yellow, Maroon, multi. ..........Pungent.  Very much so.....

 First discovered in Central America by the Portuguese, round about the 16th century.  The French Marigold (Tagetes patula)  is the best Marigold to have to attract butterflies. Or so say all the flower experts.

 I've read that there were over 50 species of marigolds taken to Europe by the Spanish. Even Thomas Jefferson planted marigolds....

 Marigold ( Calendula) is considered an incredible herb for many skin treatments, or anti inflammatory.

 Marigold ointment has been proven wonderful for sunburns , and the sap from the green stalk is said to remove warts, corns and calluses.

 In the 12th century it was generally believed that by merely feasting your eyes on a Merry-Gold would cure any eyesight difficulties, and at the same time make one feel less depressed......

 In 1535 the Marigold was brought into France, from Africa. It's thought that this became the American Marigold of the present day.

MARIGOLDS  are almost indestructable.  You can stomp on them, bash them, drop them, leave them too long in the car, leave them too long anywhere......and they seem to bounce back.

 They like heat, drought, some rain, and their dead heads lopped off   from time to time.

 Mostly, they are a GREAT INSECT REPELLENT! I plant them everywhere. Amongst the beans, the other flowers, in the greenhouse, in pots. APHIDS do not like marigolds.

 Unfortunately, SNAILS like to munch on them from time to time. I sometimes remember to put out a small dish of beer for the snails.....

 They will crawl into the dish and get totally drunk on the beer.

 And usually they do  NOT crawl out.....

 In South Asia, orange and yellow marigolds are  utilized, by the thousands, for decorating statues, buildings, religious observances, funerals, weddings.

 Here, on Vancouver Island, we tend to buy them by the flatloads. To use in pots, ground cover, and to brighten up  everything that is already newly green.

 STUFF, with abandon,  Merry-Golds into your pots. It takes only a day or two and the flowerets will start producing more and more . Fertilize with a good water soluble fertilizer ,or pellets, to help the growth .

 Marigolds are also good warding off mosquitos. SOME gardeners use the Mexican Marigold to kill weeds like bindweed, and ground elder.

 If you can find them, and they are growable in your zone, the following marigolds are good for attracting butterflies: Mountain Marigold, Mexican Tarragon, French Marigold, and Signet Marigold.

 But no matter what , ANY Merry Marigold  would work I think.

 Plant them with your Brussel Sprouts, Runner Beans, Sunflowers......

 AT THE END OF THE GROWING SEASON, you can clip  marigolds down to the roots. Leave the roots intact in the ground. They are good for the soil.

 TILL them over , if you wish, at the very end , into the soil.

 The soil will be enriched for  the next year, and will help guard against disease .....

 "Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. " (Henry Beecher, 1858 "Life Thoughts.")

PHOTOGRAPHS: Michelle McConachie Woods