Giant heads, larger than a golf-ball, in rich bicolour shades of red and orange make this French Marigold one of the largest, and a striking feature for beds and borders. A premier bedding plant, easily grown to give non-stop summer colour.

Sow March to May at 20-25C (68-77F) on the surface of a good free draining, damp seed compost. Cover with a very fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a polythene bag until after germination which usually takes 7-14 days. Do not exclude light as this helps germination.

Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into trays or 7.5cm (3 inch) pots. Grow on in cooler conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 30cm (12 inches) apart.

Prefers any well-drained garden soil in full sun. Flowers summer.