As summer ends and autumn starts to draw the nights in, my thoughts start to turn to planning the new growing season. Top of those thoughts will be seed buying, it is the joy of dark evenings to peruse seed catalogues and websites. I grow a lot from seed, it is satisfying and economical and I still fundamentally believe that when a seed germinates there is some form of magic involved.
It was therefore rather nice when I was contacted by Garden Seeds Market * and asked if I would like some of their marigold seeds. I am not going to think too long and deep about such an offer so the seeds arrived shortly afterwards.
They very kindly sent me a really lovely collection. I have often said what a fan of marigolds/calendulas/tagetes and these packets just made my heart sing.
This packet particularly caught my eye. I am looking forward to sowing these. Marigolds are such good fillers in the garden. I usually allow them to romp around my veg borders where they add colour and attract pollinators. They also get planted into the borders and containers as well. I usually sow them in spring in the greenhouse so that I can get ahead of the year. Some will have self-seeded from the year before in a polite, not too much manner, which is a pleasing habit. They are generally an easy seed to grow and they are such cheerful flowers. I think it is hard to look at a marigold and not smile.
Marigolds are also quite tough, they do not suffer hugely from pests (once you get beyond the point of slugs wanting to eat your seedlings) and they will stand some cold and neglect. Mine have got through this very warm dry summer with very little help from me at all.
Just a minute, I hear some of you say, is that packet written in English? Well no, it is not, but I have sown enough marigolds that it is not going to trouble me and....
... you can work out what you need to know from the back of the packet easily enough. The website is in English so don't worry about that. Garden Seeds Market is an EU based company and they stock and sell seeds from all over the EU. It means they have a very eclectic mix on offer. At the time of writing this they have an offer of a free packet of marigold seeds when you buy.
*disclaimer - I have not paid for these seeds. I have no received any payment to write this post and my words and opinions are as ever my own.