I planted this marigold in the spring among my lettuce, tomatoes, and squash. I have heard that marigolds help protect against critters who would eat my vegetables. I imagine I would have to have many more marigolds to provide a positive effect, but it did add a lovely splash of color to my garden. I love the patterns that occur in nature, and I think that close up, abstract images make those patterns more apparent. The velvety texture and crisp color contrasts come alive in this image.