Nasturtium

Not being able to stay in one place, running about the garden, making friends easily, wanting to get into everything at once. Not a mirror, but a nasturtium. I identify with this plant. My mother's mantra to me -- "Can't you ever just sit still?" -- rings in my ears with this plant. My answer to her mantra is: "Definitely no!"

There are so many places to go, people to meet, plants to see. Nasturtiums like me are on the run. Born on Runneymead Street. Run Keeyla Run, Run Nasturtium Run. Fits me!

I think of pulling them out as they pop up in unexpected places but then think again. Maybe a touch of orange, a touch of lion-roar yellow, might be nice here. Let's see what happens.

Here's a beautiful tiger lily crossing paths with nasturtiums in a dance of fiery oranges and reds.

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Cultural requirements:

Get a seed from a friend, get a seed from a neighborhood walk, or out of a package and just plop it in somewhere. A corner of a pot, among an already orange planting of perennials or grasses.

Or get seeds from a package. Spread them in your lawn! Never did like all this lawn anyway. I've been wanting to put a color garden here for years, days or just got the idea at this very moment. "What happened to the lawn, honey? It's covered by orange flowers?!"

Well, Monet didn't mind having nasturtiums. They challenge his garden's visitors to try to find a footing on pathways. Plants first, please! Go to Giverny with your sketchbook in the late summer or early fall to sketch the scattering habits of nasturtiums.

Sometimes I purchase small starts, especially if they are labeled for definitive shades of fiery reds or icy white to bespeckle leaves or apricot frills. If I'm not looking, you can sneak some of the delightfully "Owl and the Pussy Cat went to sea in a pea-green boat" pea-green seeds into your purse to help nasturtiums be the great travelers that they are.

Happy gardening,

Keeyla