Hidden Treasure
Early in March when I first potted these pansies that I purchased at a local greenhouse I added a little surprise to the soil. Just a little rough looking seed that I didn't soak but carefully added to the soil in a random order.
By early May what a surprise it was to find the textured leaf of the Nasturtium appearing in my woven basket planter. As the pansies will start wilting with the hot days of summer the Hidden Treasure will take over the show adding color and life to the basket.
Handful of seeds that I have collected during the spring season. I have admired the blooms and foliage of the Nasturtium since my sister in law introduced me to them when we lived in our small city garden. They flower seems to fade back with the heat but will perk back up in the late summer when the night turn cooler again. This plant grows fast in the ground and does best when neglected. There are varieties for almost every gardening purpose: bushy plants for borders and edges, trailing plants for walls and containers and climbers to add dramatic height in a garden. The leaves and flowers are edible and are often featured in natural / organic salad recipes.
Garden NOTE : Keep a few packets of Nasturtium in your garden tote bag to add to any container or border in your garden. YOU MAY JUST fall in love with this treasure as I have.
I need to attend my flower pots that were all covered last night. It appears Grace has found a seating area that I do NOT approve of. Happy Gardening on this Monday in May!
16 comments:
Awww, what a cute shot of the kitty.
What a smart ans savy gardener you are!! Kitty Grace is a beauty too!
Do the nasturtiums take the heat or are you keeping them in a protected shady area. I tried them once as a kid. That should explain the lack of my success with them. We have Iowa heat hitting tomorrow so you should be pretty warm soon.
The nasturtium can take some heat but you will have better luck if you plant them in mostly shade if you live in zones higher then 6.
What a great idea! I never think to plant nasturtiums having thought they needed full sun! So glad to hear I can tuck them here and there! Thank you! Btw, The pansies are spectacular! gail
Hi Bren, I enjoyed your post and learned something about nasturtiums! I do have a couple of seed packet that I have not planted yet...so I'll try them in a pot! I'll keep in mind the heat vs. shade info. It does get hot here in VA in zone 7.
Farmer John is giving me some nasturtiums this year as I so admired them at his place last year, pleased to hear they thrive on neglect!!
Love your blog!
Your 100th follower!
Linzi x x
Oh my....not a good place for a cat to rest! They don't always pick the best places. It never fails, when I iron something and lay it on the bed...Kiki will immediately come in there to lay on it!!!! Crazy cats! That was a good suprise....at least it wasn't weeds. Thats what comes up in mine!!!
What a good idea. A headstart on the second phase for that basket. I haven't grown nasturtiums, it's always too late to start them before I remember.
Love the kitty photo. Hope she didn't squash something;)
Marnie
Bren, that is a wonderful idea and such good use of planting space.Love the pansies
Very good idea. I planted a few Nasturtiums here and there in the garden this year as well- I should put the rest of my seeds in with my pansies! I planted 'Night and Day' this year- can't wait to see how they look. Happy gardening to you!
At least Grace knows a good looking "seat" when she sees one.
Here, nasturtiums don't take our heat. We plant them for early fall and early spring. Hope yours does well.
Bren~~ I have Nasturtium 'Cherry Rose' and love it but find that it doesn't like summer's onslaught. Also, Naturtium are aphid magnets. Still, despite their quirks, they're lovely plants.
I do the same thing. I also put lettuce seeds, petunia and chard in mine. It works just as you said, as the pansies fade, something else is coming into bloom!
I grew nasturtiums one year, and didn't love them. They were floppy and a bit overgrown. Do I just need to grow a different variety? Any reccomendations?
MsRobin I do agree they can get 'floppy' in the late summer in my neck of the woods. I have been known to cut them back during the hot days and either reseed or fertilize big time so new 'compact' growth appears. I really love the climbing nasturtium. I will place those seeds along beds or in a container. They actually seem to have less of the 'floppy' effect. :-) Hope this helps.
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