My mom and maternal grandma always had marigolds in their gardens when I was growing up. My grandma had them to deter rabbits from the garden and my mom had them cause she loved the way they looked.

I have them to carry on the tradition but also to keep little critters away from my herbs and I love calendula (a variety of marigold) for when I make my homemade soaps. I add the dried flower petals to the soap for an extra luxuriousness.