What Is Flower Fantasy?

The most simple answer is: Flower Paradise on Your Computer!
Flower Fantasy is the only computer program in the world where a unique 3D technology allows you to grow flowers and create wonderful living flower beds right on your computer screen, in full 3D! Whether you want to relax watching beautiful, live flowers from all sides in full 3D and play, or create hundreds of your own, unique 3D flower screensavers with growing flowers in a single mouse click, or make a flower bed design for your garden that shows the entire life cylcle or a flowe bed, Flower Fantasy includes it all! Flower Fantasy is very easy, even for kids. This is a must-have program for anyone who likes flowers.
Read more about Flower Fantasy or see Flower Fantasy Screenshots!

African Marigold Plant

African Marigold Plant: General Info

By all rights, the title “King of the Summer Gardens” should go to the African marigold, judging by its frequent appearances in flowerbeds, borders, and parking strips. Like tiny suns, the yellow and orange heads of the marigolds brighten thousands of city streets along which scurry millions of cars and pedestrians. We see them so often that we fail to notice these beautiful flowers. But despite it all, they continue to bloom and gladden our eyes, carpeting the ground with color.

Tagates, the scientific name for African marigolds, are relatives of the aster family and are, like many representatives of that family, endowed with an assortment of qualities that are beneficial and truly unique. They are undemanding when it comes to soil, they grow beautifully during summer dry periods, and, most importantly, they require no special care. Moreover, they have the ability to disinfect the soil where they grow. African marigolds are good at fighting nematoda (small parasites that look like worms) and the fungal diseases that affect plants. For this reason, some gardeners gladly use tagetes as a substitute for chemicals. Tagates also have applications in folk medicine: infusions made from the heads of its flowers are used as diaphoretics and as anti-worm medication.

The eloquent modesty of these Mexican natives together with their incredibly long blooming season have inspired some cultures to view the African marigold as a symbol of long life and immortality.

Facts about the African Marigold Plant

African marigolds are half hardy annual plants which grow to about 3 feet (1 meter) tall. They bloom in July, and if you deadhead them timely, will continue to flower for almost as long as French marigolds.

African Marigold in Medicine

African Marigold flowers can be used internally in a standard infusion to treat wind (“gas”), as a diuretic and anthelmintic, and externally as an eczema remedy.

A decoction of the flowers is used as a cold remedy. A poultice made from the leaves can be used to treat boils, and a decoction of the root can be used as a laxative.

African Marigold Medical Recipes

Chop up enough fresh flowers to fill 3-4 teaspoonfuls. Alternatively you can take 1-2 teaspoonfuls of dried flowers. Put them in a container, cover with 1 cup of boiling water and let it to stand for 10 minutes, then strain before use. If you are using this internally, you can sweeten it with honey.

To make a decoction, chop the flowers or root and allow 1 teaspoonful to each 1.5 cups of water. Put the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn it right down and continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain before use. Add honey to taste and drink it while it is still hot.

To make a poultice, you can either use herb left over from making an infusion or decoction, or use fresh chopped herb wrapped in gauze or thin bandage material, dipped into hot water and squeezed out so that it doesn’t drip too much. Put it over the area to be treated and refresh by dipping in the hot water again when it goes cold.