Calendula Flowers are the Only Ones Still Blooming at the Beginning of January

Calendula in my Garden 1-3-2016, © B. Radisavljevic

Winter can be a dreary season in the flower garden -- unless you are growing calendula.

 As I took my camera to the garden today, I saw that my calendula flowers are the only ones still blooming at the beginning of January. They were also providing color in December. I expect they will carry on until the daffodils bloom.

Calendula is not only colorful. It also useful. Edible calendula brightens my salads as well as my garden. It has medicinal and cosmetic uses as well, though I've not yet explored those. I've written more extensively about how I use calendula and shared even more calendula photos in this article: How Colorful Calendula Brightens My Gardens All Year Long. It can even survive light frost.  I made at this sticker at Zazzle from a photo in my garden. You can see how the bright orange calendula flower contrasts with the frosty plants around it. Those plants are probably weeds. Calendula reseeds easily and often grows  just like a weed unless you pull it out. I usually let it grow wherever it wants to.

Sticker: Frost-Kissed Calendula Flower Classic Round Sticker

If you landed here because you wanted to find out more about calendula, you can follow the link to my more detailed article. If you want seeds, I'll give you some if you live near me in Paso Robles. Just leave a comment telling me you want some and I'll see your email address to contact you. If you don't live near me, I recommend the seeds below. My plants are still reseeding here on the Central Coast of California. Buy one pack of seeds and you will never need another one.

Have fun growing and eating calendula. If you give it a place in your garden it will never leave unless you evict it.

 HERBS SEEDS AMERICAN GROWN Variety DOUBLE SIZE Packets Fresh Germinate-Ready Complete Heirloom Seed Herb Kit For Planting Your Own Perennial Organic Herb Garden - Indoor Potted or Open Herb Garden Beds. NON GMO - Plant Markers Included Calendula Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide Earthcare Seeds ENGLISH MARIGOLD 500 Seeds Calendula officinalis