Calendula Sherbet Fizz

Calendula officinalis 'Sherbet Fizz' Pot Marigold 'Sherbet Fizz'

Tightly ruffled, fully double blooms in soft buff, cream and pale yellow on the upper surface — but the magic is underneath, where each petal is tipped with deep red-maroon, creating a stunning two-tone shimmer as the flowers move in the breeze.

'Sherbet Fizz' is the designer calendula. Where standard pot marigolds offer flat orange daisies, this sophisticated variety produces tightly packed, ruffled, double blooms in muted sherbet shades — soft buff, pale yellow, cream — with the dramatic red-maroon undersides that flash and shimmer as the flowerheads move in the wind. The colour palette is genuinely unusual for a calendula and suits high-end border design in a way few other annuals can match. It doesn't shout — it glows. The petals are edible (a classic ingredient for summer salads, frozen ice cubes, and the tops of celebration cakes), the plant is RHS Plants for Pollinators recognised and particularly attracts hoverflies and solitary bees, and it is just as easy to grow as any standard calendula. Hardy annual, around 50cm tall.

A note on growing

Calendula seeds need darkness to germinate — sow at 1cm depth and cover well with soil. 'Sherbet Fizz' actually performs best when sown directly into the ground rather than transplanted. Sow direct from March to May, or in September for autumn-sown plants that overwinter for earlier flowers. Full sun, in poor to average well-drained soil — too rich and you'll get leaves at the expense of flowers. Germination is fast, typically 7–14 days. Successional sowings every 4–6 weeks extend the harvest. The stems can be slightly sticky/resinous to handle, and the orange pollen can stain white fabric — worth knowing if you arrange them indoors.

Where it shines

In the cutting garden as a designer-quality cut flower for sophisticated arrangements — the colour palette suits both warm autumn schemes (where the red undersides echo seasonal foliage) and pale summer bouquets (where the soft buff tops harmonise with cream and white companions). In the cottage border for unusual, refined colour. In the kitchen, where the sherbet-toned petals look genuinely beautiful scattered over summer cakes, frozen into ice cubes, or sprinkled into salads.

Plant alongside

The smoky bronze foliage of Bronze Fennel picks up the red-maroon undersides of 'Sherbet Fizz' for a moody, sophisticated combination. The electric blue of Cornflower or Anchusa 'Blue Angel' against the buff-yellow tops creates a cottage-classic colour pairing that bees adore. For autumn cutting, pair with the deep crimson tassels of Amaranthus.

Delivery

The seeds will be dispatched direct to you by Bishy Barnabees. Please allow up to 5 days for delivery.

Delivery:

Delivery to mainland UK is calculated at checkout. For all other areas and large orders please ask for a quote. Orders will be sent by express next day delivery (DPD). They will be dispatched on a next working day service, with the exception of Ireland where it may take two days. Please allow up to 48 hours for delivery in the UK as the couriers may have already been and collected on the day you send your order in. Smaller orders for pouches, pockets, bags and pots may be sent via Royal Mail delivery. Please ensure you supply an email address and a mobile so you can be updated about your delivery. Should you have any problems with your delivery, please contact us at sales@naturalgrower.co.uk.

Special Deliveries

Saturday or weekday morning deliveries can be arranged, but there will be a surcharge. Please contact us to request a price for either of these delivery services. If you need a parcel sending outside of the UK, please contact us for a quote.

Returns:

If you are not completely happy with any product that you have ordered from us, you may return it to us in its original condition any time within 14 calendar days from the date of dispatch. Products must be returned in their original condition. Please contact us at sales@naturalgrower.co.uk to arrange a return. If you return a product by post, you will need to pay the costs of returning the product to us and obtain proof of posting.