Susan Durisek’s blog

                                                        CALENDULA

Hard to believe, but the calendula I started from saved seeds this June is still blooming in my garden.  Big, bright yellow-petaled mop-head flowers with brown button centers, each about 3 inches across, are amazing to see, holding their own against December’s freezing rain.  I’ve discovered that they stand up much better to cold than to the heat and insect invasions of summer.  In years past, I’ve planted them in early May from seedlings, and they have just fizzled when the weather gets hot and dry.  Calendula, which has been popular for centuries, is also called pot marigold.  It’s both an edible and ornamental flower with golden petals that have been used to add a colorful accent garnish to salads, and as a substitute for more expensive saffron in soups and stews.  Calendula was the Herb Society of America’s Herb of the Year in 2008. To find more about calendula and other edible flowers, click HERE: CALENDULA.  For gardeners wanting to extend floral touches in their gardens as long as the North Wind permits, this is a great discovery.