Marigolds are often the subjects of garden lore, believed to
keep both insect pests and nematodes away from homes and
vegetable patches. Marigolds used in these plantings tend to be
African or French -- both types have annual life cycles. Even
though bedding marigolds will not survive the winter except in
the warmest of climates, other members of the genus Tagetes have
perennial life cycles. These perennial marigolds will survive
mild winters and return year after year. Does this Spark an
idea? Annuals and Perennials Plants have evolved a variety of
strategies to preserve their species through inclement weather.
Perennials go into a state of suspended animation, dropping
their high-maintenance parts such as leaves and flowers.
Sometimes these plants die back to the ground level and re-
sprout from their roots and crown when conditions improve.
Annuals, on the other hand, have a short life cycle -- they
grow, mature and reproduce within a single growing season. Often
bedding annuals self-sow, making them appear