Types of Marigolds for Gardens

Marigolds are commonly divided into three categories: African, French, and signet. All these marigolds are fast-growing annual plants that bloom reliably from early summer to frost. Deadheading will encourage more blooms and prevent marigold volunteers from popping up next spring. However, each type has its unique characteristics.

African Marigolds

These tall and stately plants make beautiful borders along fences, at the back of perennial beds to set off other flowers, and as a large patch all on their own. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are good for cutting for arrangements with long, sturdy stems and good vase life. They are relatively low-maintenance summer flowers and thrive in hot, dry conditions. Here are a few of the prettiest varieties of African marigolds to try:

French Marigolds

Bushy plants with a compact, mounded shape and bright colors make French marigolds (Tagetes patula) a favorite. They are generally not bothered by insects or disease and make fabulous companion plants for your vegetable garden. Keep deadheaded for blooms all the way to frost. French marigolds range from 6 inches to 2 feet in height.

Tagetes tenuifolia

Tagetes tenuifolia is an annual herb sometimes reaching as much as 50 cm (20 in) tall. Leaves are less than 3 cm (1+1⁄4 in) long, deeply divided into many small parts. The plant produces many small bright yellow flower heads in a flat-topped array, each head with five ray florets and 7–9 disc florets.[4]

Signet Marigolds

Perhaps the least well-known type of marigold, signet marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia) offer simple color and compactness. They are great for window boxes, edging garden beds with color, and companion planting because they won’t shade anything out. Also known as lemon marigolds, some signet varieties give off a lemon scent when their foliage is bruised.

French Marigolds

Bushy plants with a compact, mounded shape and bright colors make French marigolds (Tagetes patula) a favorite. They are generally not bothered by insects or disease and make fabulous companion plants for your vegetable garden. Keep deadheaded for blooms all the way to frost. French marigolds range from 6 inches to 2 feet in height.

French Marigolds

Bushy plants with a compact, mounded shape and bright colors make French marigolds (Tagetes patula) a favorite. They are generally not bothered by insects or disease and make fabulous companion plants for your vegetable garden. Keep deadheaded for blooms all the way to frost. French marigolds range from 6 inches to 2 feet in height.

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Excellent examples of French Rococo are the Salon de Monsieur le Prince (completed 1722) in the Petit Château at Chantilly, decorated by Jean Aubert, and the salons (begun 1732) of the Hôtel de Soubise, Paris, by Germain Boffrand. The Rococo style was also manifested in the decorative arts. Its asymmetrical forms and rocaille ornament were quickly adapted to silver and porcelain, and French furniture of the period also displayed curving forms, naturalistic shell and floral ornament, and a more elaborate, playful use of gilt-bronze and porcelain ornamentation.

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