You don't often see hanging baskets full of marigolds, but they make perfect sense. Marigolds fill out and fill in very quickly, particularly the dwarf varieties. If you like the rounded, ball-shaped baskets, keep marigolds in mind.

Here's what the National Garden Bureau has to say about marigold breeding and what we can expect to see in garden centers for the next few years:

America continues to lead in the breeding advancements of marigolds.

The two Tagetes species receiving the most breeding and research effort continue to be the T. patula, French and T. erecta, African or American. Breeders are selecting marigolds for earlier flowering with specific improved characteristics such as increased flower size. The single marigold flower form has been given recent attention with several new varieties introduced. Crosses between species such as the T. patula x T. erecta or triploid marigolds will continue to be improved for germination and seed vigor. Someday, breeders will be able to introduce the T. patula mahogany red genes into the T. erecta species for huge 3-inch red blooms. Or the reverse, introduce the white T. erecta genes into a dwarf French marigold. The National Garden Bureau is confident the breeders will continue to select marigolds that will find a featured position in America’s gardens. Whether tall or short, single or double flowered, marigolds will flourish across North America.