As I wandered along a little local street, the subtle fragrance of a familiar flower reached me on the breeze. At first, I couldn't quite place that delicate scent but then I saw masses and masses of brilliantly coloured nasturtiums. Spilling out from a garden bed, trailing down an embankment and covering part of a grassy 'footpath' with garlands of their flowers. As there were so many, I picked a little posy and brought home some of their orange, yellow and red happiness to place upon our table.
A little posy of nasturtiums.
Such vibrant colours!
Nasturtium in Latin means "nose twist"!
I haven't grown nasturtiums sucessfully but now I am wondering why ever not? They seemed to be thriving in the little street just a few over from ours. They would not only make me happy every time I saw them, the bees would be beside themselves too. There were many bees foraging among the nasturtiums I found, buzzing with abandon. I wonder if native bees like ours love them too?
The other thing about nasturtiums is that they are edible, their vibrant petals but also their leaves. I shared a slice of a quiche once, flavoured with peppery nasturtium leaves from the very garden where we ate, and it was delicious. I have read too, at the link above, that you can pickle the seeds and use them like capers. Clarissa, over at Simply by the Beach, posted a list of twenty good reasons to grow nasturtiums. I think I've talked myself into it ... a niche for growing nasturtiums needs to be found!
It would be lovely to wander out and pick nasturtiums from our own garden. There'd be flowers for the table, food from the garden and their subtle scent wafting along on the breeze.
Meg
p.s. Finding these little flowers reminded me that I have a little stitching of nasturiums that I did years ago. It was to be part of a quilt I never got anywhere near finishing but I've since used many of the flowery embroidered squares to make re-purposed bags like this one. Perhaps I will make one of these little bags over the weekend ... a gift for the gardener in the little street just over from ours who grows nasturtiums!
So pretty! And I love your stitching. Maybe little critter eat your seeds when you've tried to grow them. I sow them direct into the ground after danger of frost has past. I heard they (and other old-fashioned flowers) actually like poorer soil. If the soil is too rich, too good, you will get leaves more than flowers. Andrea
ReplyDeleteAren't they just so beautiful! Our soils not fantastic in parts of our garden so I'll try a few nasturtiums in those areas and see if I can get them to grow. Thank you for that tip! Meg:)
DeleteOne of my favourite plants Meg, but difficult to keep going here where we are. My family in Vic have them growing almost wild which makes me very envious and I continue to nurture a few little plants that always get frost affected. Your little stitching piece is adorable.
ReplyDeleteI love their colours, Sally. So vibrant! I might try putting a couple in a new garden bed area and see if I can grow them there more successfully. I can't remember what the name of the quilt I was intending to make, it was so long ago, but there were quite a few squares with old-fashioned flowers like these to embroider. Meg:)
DeleteThey are so beautiful! Since I am near Sally not something so easily grown. I’m nit sure I have ever eaten one now I think about it, something to add to the list to try! Do they grow in the sun-tropics I wonder?
ReplyDeleteLovely embroidery. I found one the other day I need to finish also. Something about living simply which is quite apt.
Xx
I live in Brisbane, Emma, so I think they would grow in the sub-tropics. Something perhaps to grow at your new place! Meg:)
DeleteI love them as well, but we have such a small garden and they can be invasive. Lucky you to have such beautiful colour in a posy.
ReplyDeleteI felt quite lucky to have discovered them and to be able to bring such a lovely splash of colour home with me. Certainly brightened up my day! Meg:)
DeleteHi Meg,
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be planting some nasturtiums when my new garden beds are up and running. I hope you got some rain last night like we did, I was so excited to see, hear and smell the rain, glorious.
Fi
No rain, Fi. It went all around us 😣
DeleteI'm sowing nasturtium seeds today, a beautiful bright pink one called Jewel Cherry Rose as well as the familiar orange and yellow ones. I didn't have much luck with them last year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed they do better this year.
ReplyDeleteI will keep my eye out for a pink one, Jan. It sounds gorgeous!! Meg
DeleteOh Meg, you are so creative! That would make a lovely gift bag. Those photos of the nasturtiums are gorgeous! I grew them in my cottage garden last year. They are so cheerful and eye catching. Wonderful post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stephenie. I hope I can get them to grow in my garden too. Meg☺
DeleteI used to have nasturtium leaves on my sandwiches with vegemite when I was younger. There are such pretty varieties out now.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite the sandwich combo, Julie! Meg😄
DeleteI have never seen such beautiful specimens - so many interesting colors! I have grown several colors myself in the past, but not quite like these. And now, the volunteers are always straight orange! So now I am inspired to start with some seeds again...
ReplyDeleteThey are so pretty. I hope you can find seeds for some different varieties, I am keeping an eye out for different kinds to try now. Meg☺
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