Measuring road between valleys in Bedugul, cold temper already creep a body accompanying with roar of motorbike in the ears. Scenery left and right side being promised to erase boringness through the never ending road. Stopping at first point of turn over altitude road, precise side gate of Bedugul Botanical Garden, lays a local market named “Pasar Bedugul”. Resting place for such invest money resulted from being a worker of Monday to Saturday at nine to five, is here to be found. At this local market will be found agronomical commodity of a fertile land supported with a good weather, after looking around in this place, finally found flower shop that has an ocean of French Marigold to welcome every customer.

Name of Marigold came from a root of “Mary’s Gold”, usually related with a story of Virgin Mary in Christian way. Marigold famous all over a country as garden flower that easily grow and doesn’t hard to taking care of its plantation. Marigold just like a bushes plant, cultivated with a seeds which could be found as black seeds at the bottom of its petals. Growing with hard stem that could reach height between 0.05 – 2 m, Marigold has pinnate green leaves, rounded rays shape of flower colored with white till red. Marigold has many varieties depends on cultivation area and hybrid between its original variety. Hybrid of these plants showed with color of Marigold flower, shape of pinnate green leaves, scented of the flower, height of the stem.

One of its varieties is called Tagetes, many to be cultivated in America (Mexican Marigold), African Marigold that most cultivated in Africa, and French Marigold which is being top cultivated in France. These African and French Marigold are highly plant as garden flower in subtropical and tropical region in South East Asia including Indonesia (very known as “Kenikir”), Kenikir usually used as salad after quick cooked process. Especially in Bali, African Marigold taking role as local commodity know as “Gumitir” or “Gemitir” with height of stem reach half of a height of normal human body, rounded rays flower with yellow to orange color. Most founded at local market to complete the needed of these flower as ceremonial offerings, garlands, other traditional uses. Beside African Marigold there are also French Marigold as seen at the picture.

Commonly Tagetes planted as a companion planting for tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant or tobacco troupes. Appear as pioneer plant in the reclamation of disturbed land. Marigold leaves has strong scent, some could applied to remove warts, but other variety has no scent at all. As found in South Africa, Marigold scented turn to a basic scent of perfumes. Dried Marigold flower could add as food scented and natural food color through its yellow and orange color. In Mexico, small amounts is used for making herbal tea while large amount consumption cause hallucination effect and of course not allow in large amount uses.

When has a quick sight of this plant and flower, then bulb a thought that Marigold could not only has an esthetic value, but more than that appearing beauty. Marigold has an uncommon beauty uses as it look like. What is found above ocean of French Marigold at Bedugul local market could offer soul refreshment from stressful road of valley Bedugul. Maybe dream yearning of Paris as a city of love can be park a while and let an ocean of French Marigold will hypnotized you with a love from Eifel to Bedugul valley.

South Bali area like South Kuta and Jimbaran now became high orientation on tourism property development. Where every inch of this area are turned to be value land for sight seeing customer, local and foreign. Geologically this area covered by Limestone, fact that limestone could be welfare value for local neighborhood but on the other side it is bring bad impact to a landscape of Bali.
According to landscape photo of Bali which already published by Bali Post, a local newspaper in Bali, Bali will tend to minimize its land just because of irresponsible mining, beside there is no strict action from Bali government to react about this illegal mining. Some source reported that some area has already descending through limestone mining and has lower altitude then sea level, isn’t it bad?.
Imagine, if local people and government could work together as a team to avoid spoiled land, then Bali will not have any acne on its landscape.
Lets have a comment to save our green land.

Quick source : Bali Post, Saturday 23 May 2009.