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I have chosen a special Calendula as the subject for this week's 'Keepers' post. I grow several varieties, but a favorite for the past few years has been 'Pink Surprise.'
Of course, it is not really a true pink, but more of what I would describe as a blushed apricot. The center petals usually show more yellow, which makes for a very nice, soft effect. There can be quite a variation of tones from plant to plant, which adds an interesting element of surprise.
Calendula's are like sunshine in the garden! They bloom both early and late, and are prolific self-sowers. I bought one packet of 'Pink Surprise' seed 3 years ago and have been rewarded ever since with more seed than I could ever use! It has been one of my hottest items for seed trading on the Garden Web Seed Exchange forum.
A couple of twin blooms, wearing a bit of morning dew!
(Click to enlarge)
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"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul." ~Luther Burbank
11 comments:
those are beautiful. I love their coloring and the shape of their petals.
Calendula's are great flowers don't you think? They are very easy to grow, are great for the vase and they come in more colours than just orange. Your apricot one is very pretty. I have yellow double ones and also an apricot one but very different from yours. Got the seed from a friend so I don't know its name.
Just Beautiful. I've never grown calendulas. Thanks for visiting. :-)
These calendula are so beautiful! To tell you the truth, I didn't even know what a calendula WAS!!! Now, I have to have one! Great photo.
Those are fantastic.
For some reason I've only ever noticed the yellow/organge ones that come in the cheapo seed mixes.
Thanks for the informative post.
I love calendula. (So much so that I named my blog after them. LOL!) I like how they re-sow so easily, and yet they're never invasive. Always cheerful, too.
What a pretty color and perfection of form! Love it!
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Wow... I can see why you love those so much. Since you grow three different kinds, I was wondering how you keep getting the 'Pink Surprise' to come back true from the collected seed. Are they so far apart that you don't get any cross-pollination, or is there some other secret?
(I'm asking because I found two different kinds of calendulas that I want to buy seed for this year, but I have been afraid that due to cross-breeding I might have to pick just one! lol.)
Blackswamp Girl - I pretty much let them reseed themselves... nothing is very planned in my garden.;-) They are somewhat separated, but not by far. On occasion I will take a handful of seed and throw it somewhere to start new plants. The pink ones seem to come back true, as do the yellow ones I have had for years.
I did have one plant this year that I think was some type of cross, as I have never seen one like it. It was beautiful! ...orange with yellow rays surrounding the brown centers. I hope to do a post on it, with photos, in the future. I saved seed to see what will happen next year.
Wow, that is so pretty. I plan to try a new variety of calendulas next year, called 'Citrus Splash' I think it was. This one is gorgeous and you've really captured its beauty very well!
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