It is no secret that marigold flowers are beautiful and suitable for various places, including pathways, edges, containers, and garden beds. Why not when its flowers have lovely red, orange and yellow colors that blend excellently?
You can make the sight even better by combining marigolds with other plants, including perennials, other flowers, culinary herbs, and vegetables. Besides beauty, these plants also benefit from marigolds in various ways.
That said and done, not all plants do well when interplanted with them. You need to know the best flowers to plant with marigolds.
Advantages of Planting Marigolds
Are you planning to plant marigolds but are still on the fence regarding the matter? Do you have them but don’t understand their advantages well?
If that’s the case, let’s consider how you can benefit from this flower.
- It has a unique aroma that’s unforgettable
- Besides being sweet, the aroma also repels bunny rabbits that can destroy your crops, especially vegetables
- No need to worry about their seeds since they are plenty at all times
- They will bloom throughout summer despite irregular deadheading, that’s undoubtedly time-consuming and tiring
- Marigolds are low-maintenance flowers that won’t take up much of your time and effort
- They make your garden beautiful that’s to their yellow, red, and orange hues
- They are also suitable for pest control since they keep Japanese beetles, cucumber beetles, corn earworms, cabbage maggots, and aphids away from your garden.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Flowers to Plant with Marigolds
If you want to enjoy these benefits of marigolds, be careful when selecting the flowers to plant alongside them. Consider the following when choosing the best flowers to plant with marigolds
- Only choose the flowers that grow in the same conditions as marigolds
- If your place is prone to drought, consider the signet and African marigolds
- On the other hand, people living in areas with wet conditions should go for the French marigolds
- As much as marigolds can survive in any soil type, ensure that you plant them in fertile and well-drained places to help them thrive
- Remember that the size of marigold is usually between 6 inches and 3 feet, ranging from one variety to another; hence only plant flowers that can grow together with such plants
- They have brass, gold, and copper hues; hence look for flowers with colors that complement marigolds
- Consider purple and blue flowers to match the orange and yellow ones in marigolds
12 Flowers to Plant with Marigolds
Following the above considerations, here are some of the best flowers to plant with marigolds.
#1. Petunias
When looking for the best flowers to plant with marigolds, you can’t overlook how the two looks together. If you want something that blends excellently, Petunias fit the bill.
Several kinds of petunias exist, which gives you various options to choose from. They differ in colors and sizes, to mention a few.
You will appreciate how easy it is to maintain the flower. It can also fill spaces excellently and withstands heat a lot.
If you aren’t a fan of deadheading, look for petunias types that don’t demand it. They are quite a pair worth considering, no doubt.
#2. Vinca
If you are a gardener looking for low-maintenance flowers, marigolds and vinca make a great pair. The full sun won’t hinder them from growing, thriving, or blooming.
Equally important, they can tolerate even drought seasons. If you have a tight schedule, you can concentrate on what you must do without worrying about the flowers drying due to negligence.
You can plant them in containers or landscapes. Regardless of where you plant vinca, its flowers are bright and thus, hard to miss.
#3. Alyssum
Marigold has yellow or orange hues, and alyssum has purple or white flowers. These colors combine excellently to make your flower garden look great.
It is also important to note that alyssum grows lowly and thus serves as your marigolds, and ground cover. So, your marigold will also thrive during hot summers thanks to the natural mulch preventing water loss.
It would be unfair to stop at that, given how alyssum can help the marigold even more. It is ideal for pest control since it attracts predatory wasps and other insects good at that.
#4. Geraniums
Whether your garden is under partial shade or full sun, geraniums will thrive. The same applies to marigolds, and that’s why they are great to grow together.
Since geraniums are also prolific bloomers, expect them to beautify your garden throughout the season. However, you will need to deadhead the flowers frequently for an eye-catching effect.
Geraniums are prone to predation by slugs that won’t hesitate to attack them at any time. Fortunately, marigolds won’t let them since they repel them vehemently.
Their flowers also blend nicely, thus making your garden beautiful. Since the two benefits from each other while also helping other plants, geraniums qualify as one of the best flowers to plant with marigolds.
#5. Lantana
Don’t hesitate to plant lantana with marigolds if you reside in warm climates. Why not when they are one of the most heat-resistant flowers, if not plants?
They are beneficial to the neighboring flowers since they attract pollinators. You can plant them in mixed containers or borders for excellent results.
The two can grow together due to similar growing conditions. For example, they will thrive even when it is hot and dry.
You don’t need to worry about maintaining the lantana and marigold growing together. After all, the pair’s needs are similar.
One can’t say much about how the pair benefit from each other. Nevertheless, the respective colors are a fantastic match that livens any garden.
#6. Salvia
Landscaping gets better if you plant salvia with marigolds. Why not when the two create the perfect definition and height when planted at the edges?
Their growing conditions are also similar that possible to thrive alongside each other. For instance, they both love the sun and heat.
Thanks to the growing conditions, the pair will bloom the entire season. Besides beauty, the flowers will also attract pollinators, which benefits the rest of the plants in your garden.
#7. Bachelor’s Buttons
Everyone wants a flower garden that blooms all year round. Unfortunately, it is hard, if not impossible, to find a flower that blooms in all seasons.
However, you can find a pair of flowers that bloom during different seasons. An excellent pair is the marigold and bachelor’s buttons, and since their blooming period overlaps perfectly, your flower garden will look beautiful.
Whereas marigold flowers have yellow or orange hues, bachelor’s buttons are purple or blue. By design, that’s also a lovely combination.
Besides, the two flowers flourish under the same conditions. They don’t shock each other and can grow side by side comfortably.
#8. Zinnias
Whereas marigolds are yellow and orange, zinnias are pink. The result is usually eye-catching, and the two give your garden the life it deserves.
If that’s not a combination you can go to, consider the orange zinnias. The two different flowers with the same color are also breathtaking.
There is also another option, Envy zinnias, that gives your garden a combination of green and yellow or orange hues.
#9. Nasturtium
The nasturtiums and marigolds combination is enough to drive away all the harmful pests in your garden. They can also withstand the sun, and the rest of their growing conditions are also similar.
When marigolds aren’t blooming, the nasturtium will fill that gap to help your garden look beautiful all the time.
The fact that they have edible flowers and leaves makes them a great addition to any garden. Equally important, they will attract useful insects, including pollinators, while repelling destructive ones.
#10. Calendula
Did you know that some people can’t differentiate calendula from marigold? For people who have seen the two, that’s understandable, given the striking resemblance.
The similarities include their yellow and orange colors. No wonder calendula is often referred to as the pot marigold.
Their similar growing conditions make it even harder to differentiate them from marigolds. For instance, they do well even when the sun is scorching hot.
Consequently, the blooming is eye-catching throughout the season. Generally, they are low maintenance and a great addition to any garden.
Like marigolds, calendula also attracts pollinators and is thus ideal for planting. The two are also quite friendly to each other when growing together.
However, despite all the similarities, they are two flowers worlds apart. For instance, calendula is used for herbal purposes, but that’s not the case for marigolds.
#11. Verbena
First, it is easy to confuse verbena with lantana. The flower grows lowly and can withstand heat.
The flowers are in various colors that blend well with the marigold ones. However, it is good to mention that a few of its colors aren’t a great match to marigolds’ bright colors.
The flowers are ideal for filling space, and you can plant them in containers. Like marigolds, verbena also attracts pollinators.
It is advisable to deadhead it frequently for the sake of the flower. However, it isn’t a matter of life and death.
#12. Snapdragon
The popularity of snapdragons is indisputable since they grow in both warm and cooler temperatures. It also means that you can plant it with various types of marigolds.
Its flowers also have many colors that add beauty to any garden. Since it also grows upright, growing alongside other plants is a breeze.
All you have to do is ensure it gets the right amount of sunlight. If you do so, its blooming will be impressive.
You don’t need to have a garden to plant snapdragons. It will even thrive in a container; hence lack of land shouldn’t make you shy away from planting it.
Consider planting snapdragons and bordering the space with marigolds. Alternatively, plant snapdragon, surround it with marigold, and make the latter the primary focal point.
Benefits of Planting Flowers with Marigolds
Why would one go through all the trouble of finding the best flowers to plant with marigolds? That’s because companionship has several benefits, including the following;
Conservation of Water and Nutrients
Marigolds won’t take a lot of water and nutrients from the soil. Therefore, some will be left, and you can conserve them by introducing additional flowers.
Decrease the spread and growth of weed
The weed issue won’t bother you again after planting marigolds with other flowers. The more the plans, the less the soil space.
Under such circumstances, weeds won’t have space to grow, leave alone spread. For those who know how frustrating dealing with weeds can get and their destructive nature, avoiding them is a golden opportunity worth grabbing.
Maximize the Garden Space
Not everyone can afford a big garden space to plant various flowers. If you are one of them, consider planting marigolds with other suitable flowers.
Attract Useful Insects
There are various insects that marigolds attract, which benefits them and the plants around them. Therefore, never hesitate to plant various plants around it.
For instance, marigold attracts hoverflies and ladybugs ideal for controlling and eliminating harmful insects. With these insects gone, the plants you plant nearby will have room to thrive.
On the other, they will attract insects known for pollination, including bees. The orange and yellow marigold flowers are too bright for these useful insects to miss.
Pest Control
By default, one can say that marigolds were made to control pests and harmful insects. Their tissues have chemical compounds with what it takes to repel various harmful insects and pests.
That’s why it is also grown together with veggies such as peppers and tomatoes. It repels worms that often attack such plants.
Conclusion
There are various reasons why people plant marigolds. That said and done, one can benefit even more by planting them together with other plants.
Fortunately, the flowers do well with various plants, including vegetables and flowers. They complement and benefit from each other hence worth the effort.
Consider the best flowers to plant with the marigolds discussed above. They have similar growing conditions hence ideal for interplanting.
Remember that planting marigold with other flowers has myriad benefits. You can enjoy them without much effort as long as you deem them fit.
If the suggestions don’t fit your taste, all isn’t lost. Consider the above considerations and use them to find the best flowers suitable for interplanting with marigolds.