last year I got two marigold plants from a friend .
I decided to plant them in one of our polytunnels .This was because I knew that marigolds are a companion plant for lots of different vegetables.Also I wanted to grow some flowers for picking so I would able to enjoy them in the house . It is very often wet here I would go as far as saying that it rains at some point every day in Co Mayo ! Some days on and off for hours .
From that point of view growing a few flowers in the polytunnel to protect them from the constant rains ,damp and often high winds would allow them to develop and not run the risk of the damp killing them or high winds breaking them down.
The marigolds did very well there were not loads but just enough to brighten a little corner of the ground.
This year at the start of season I noticed tiny little green stems starting to come up in the same corner that I had grown the marigolds in the year before.They had self-sown themselves there which I didn’t mind in any way it was a positive for me .
It’s been amazing to see them grow this season 10 times as many plants have developed all by themselves just dropping their dried seed pods into the soil from the year before.
The corner of marigolds developed into at least one quarter of the polytunnel.
They kind of took over !
One the rare day the suns out the polytunnel really heats up inside .
you can smell the scent of these marigolds as the heat brings it out of them
I have had Marigolds in bloom for at least the last 5 months
Plus daily pickings of these flowers for the house or to give to friends
They have been a joy to smell on the warm days and given me plus the household brightness and cheer on those damp wet long days.
Alternative life beyond the bubble 