Featured Flower: Nasturtium

Nasturtiums are happy little flowers.  You can’t help smiling when you see them pop up in the garden.   They can be grown from seeds or purchased as plants and spread well in sun with watering and can bring color to your garden.

Due to their proclivity for spreading in coastal climates nasturtiums are occasionally used as ground cover, spreading their lush green foliage dotted with cheerful golden-orange blooms up and down the state of California.

They are equally at home in Jenner, Golden Gate Park, or La Jolla.  Nasturtiums are well loved as designs on kitchen and home décor. Their unique circular leaves are reminiscent of lily pads and conjure imagery of miniature umbrellas as though tiny people might be hiding beneath.  Their spreading open-mouthed blooms are edible and both the stem and the flower carry a peppery flavor.  The nasturtium is considered an emblem of victory or conquest; and they also represent charity.  They are often given to represent the end of a struggle, or as an encouragement.

Flowers range in color from a pale yellow, through the sunniest gold oranges to deep red, and I was surprised to find pink and coral as well.

Although they have delicate stems, they add beautiful color to garden bouquets and are lovely when they glow in the sunlight.

Photos and text by Nadja Masura