Mexican Marigold and Cosmos Bipinnatus

Credit: David Tarrant

These two pictures were taken just outside San Miguel de Allende 3 weeks ago just as the dry season is starting. The bright orange flowers in the forground are Tagetes lunata or Mexican Marigold, they are closely related to the marigolds we grow as summer annuals in BC.

The bright pink in the background are Cosmos bipinnatus. The big bright yellow daisies in the second picture are Tithonia tubiformis and locally called Girasol. All three of these are widely grown as summer annuals in Canada. Of course right now they are very much on their last legs up north. But I do hope you have saved some seed. If not look for a few wayward seedheads before you pull them up for the winter. Dry them out in brown paper bags or on sheets of newspaper. Once dry pop the seeds into labelled envelopes an keep them in an airtight container in the crisper drawer of you fridge until it is time to sow them early next spring.