Photograph by the author.

A French marigold, Tagetes patula, blooming in my garden, revived by an early autumn rain shower.

I found the seeds for this plant relegated to a corner in my local garden centre — frequently overlooked for more expensive, more ‘fashionable’ angiosperm varieties. But what’s not to love about this fine specimen? Native to Mexico and Guatemala, these feisty flowers add welcome warmth to my autumnal UK garden.