French marigold Tiger Eyes seeds - Tagetes patula

French Marigold 'Tiger Eyes', known by its Latin name Tagetes patula, is a dwarf variety with original bicolour double flowers. The outer petals of mahogany red surround a dome resembling that of an anemone flower, with short ligules of dark golden yellow. Well-branched and small in size, this neat annual plant offers abundant flowering throughout the summer. Its rapid growth and easy cultivation make it an ideal choice for borders and containers. Sow it indoors at the end of winter or in spring.

Tagetes patula is a herbaceous annual plant of the aster family, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from Mexico to Bolivia. In a short time, it forms a small, bushy and branched clump, with a neat habit, 25 to 30 cm in height by 15 to 20 cm wide, covered with dark green, highly cut foliage, strongly aromatic, with a strong odour that may be off-putting. Flowering occurs from June to September if regularly dead-headed. 'Tiger Eyes' has received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. It produces magnificent heads measuring 5 cm in diameter, classified within the Tagetes patula as "anemone flowers". The ligules (the flowers located at the periphery of the head) appear to flutter like butterfly wings. This plant readily self-seeds in the garden, but not always true to the mother variety.

French Marigolds are easy to sow and grow in well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. They brighten up summer beds with their generous flowering and intense colours, ideal to be softened by grey foliage like that of mugwort and stachys. Small golden grasses also complement their warm colours perfectly. To create contrasts, pair them with the blue flowers of perennial flaxes, salvias, or Love-in-a-Mist. In the vegetable garden, mix French Marigolds with Dahlias, Agastaches, and Nasturtiums. Their edible flowers add a decorative touch to salads, cakes, and cocktails.

The scent of French Marigold foliage, and the substances secreted by their roots, repel some pests harmful to crops, which is why these plants are often placed among vegetables in the garden.