Climbing Moonlight Nasturtium: An Unexpected Beauty on the Deck

Have you ever seen a nasturtium be the lead plant on a deck? It was a happy accident to see how vigorous and healthy this Moonlight nasturtium could grown in a pot supported by a peony cage. 

I am known for growing delphiniums in pots on our deck. It was an exciting development this summer when, in the lull between delphinium spikes (June and then again in September), I let a few nasturtium seedlings grow and thrive in my delphinium pot.  The cage was there to support the blue spikes, but they became handy to guide the trailing nasturtium. 

Look at the this magnificent Moonlight (pale yellow) climbing nasturtium. The stem was thick like a pencil and I occasionally arched it toward the cage and held it with a simple tie until it could send out a shoot to wrap around it. 

I will make sure to pair these plants again because it was wonderful. I'm posting now so that you can add these seeds to your shopping plan.

#nasturtiums #gardengirl #companionplants
 

Renee's Garden Seeds: Thrilled with Nasturtiums

I'm opening this post with a photo of my deck last July - I needed a #goals photo after the cold wet Spring we've been having to remind me what is coming and what to plan for. Last summer was the first time I committed to a collidescope of color palette and I loved it. Beautiful pops of pink, orange lavender, yellow against bright green leaves. 

I have been letting small 1 quart hydrangeas grow larger in my pots and I found that planting one or two nasturtiums seedlings (that I sprouted in Jiffy Seed Starting Greenhouses in peat pellets) at the edge of the hydrangea pot has become a great companion plant. The nasturtiums grow and fluff beautifully and really fill in the hydrangea.

The nasturtium seeds can be planted right into the ground when the timing is right, of course, but I like to get them started early when I'm ready to garden. These examples (below) have only been planted about a week and they are doing fantastic!

I am a garden communicator and member of GardenComm (remember when I was Regional Director for a few years?) by Renee's Garden Seeds and I am generously given a credit toward some free seeds by Renee's Garden. Thank you! 

I can't wait to see these colors come to life, especially Cherries Jubilee. And I am thrilled to try the Heirloom Electric Blue Sweet Peas. Stay tuned, as the these seeds will light up my blog and @FindDelight all summer long.

#reneesgarden #seeds #nasturtiums #growfromseed #pnw #gardener #springgarden #edibleflowers #gardencomm

Renee's Seeds Produced Bountiful Flowers

This is our second summer in a house east of Seattle and we are still trying to get a handle on our zone (8b). The wind/sun conditions on the front (sunny & hot) and back of the house (partial shade and windy) are like night and day. We are really loving the beauty of Washington and are having fun trying plants in different locations around our yard. Look at my "Climbing Phoenix" heirloom nasturtiums (above)! They were full, healthy and busting with blooms. 

After zig-zagging across the country this summer, I wanted to make sure to stop and highlight the magnificent results I had with Renee's Garden seeds.  
Since I knew that I would be traveling for 6 weeks over the summer, I decided to concentrate on growing just a few flowers from seed in a container. 

I planted the flowering seeds that Renee's Garden had generously sent me to try in peat pots (read all about it here) and transplanted them outside into a raised planter bed in mid-May.

Our deck is just off the kitchen, but stands a full story above the ground. Running down a flight of deck stairs every time I needed herbs & flowers for dinner, would not work, so we started looking for a container garden that would fit on our deck. 

I found a handsome elevated patio garden bed called the Keter Urban Bloomer at Home Depot (pictured with the nasturtiums above). It is the perfect height for tending and has a plug that I can open and drain off any standing water that is trapped inside the garden bed after a good rain. I love it.  

The "Grandma's Johnny Jump Ups" thrived in that container next to the nasturtiums and whenever I was in town, I would pick some blooms to add a cute touch to drinks, cheese trays and all-things edible. "Never Underestimate the Power of Cute," that's my motto, and Johnny Jump Ups are cute!  

And you must see the "Jewels of Albion" sweet peas that took my breath away. I was able to admire daily from my kitchen window and it will be my new "thing I always grow." They grew happily in a pot on my deck and clung to a classic black tuteur. They were everything I hoped they would be and I thank Renee's Garden for the opportunity to try them. I suggest you spoil yourself this summer and grow some too! 

I loved every part of the sweet process of growing flowers from seed. In the hustle bustle world we live in, I think we could all benefit from the pace of watching seedlings sprout and flourish. I know that from now on I will always grow a little something from seed.

#reneesgarden #seedlover #gardenfromseed #momentsofdelight #gardening #gardencomm #iamgardencomm #spreadtheword  

Juice Can Bouquet: Sunny Side Up

I love everything about this picture! 

#1 I am known for my juice can bouquets and I can finally make some because I am back in Seattle and my nasturtiums are in full bloom!

#2 The blue sky! The smoke from the fires in Canada has dissipated and we are having beautiful summer days.

#3 Orange! I have been saving this papaya juice can that I bought at Uwajimaya last year in the hopes of making vibrant bouquets. As I say, this was all part of the Master Plan. This master plan just took a little longer to execute.

I hope that you are having a beautiful summer too!

#orangeisthenewhappy #nasturtium #smallbouquets #finddelight

La Croix tall cans Make Unusual Vases

Well hello, Cherry Lime La Croix! You are the perfect vase for my nasturtiums. 

Nothing but Nasturtiums

If I were a florist, I would name this bouquet "Sunshine". The bright orange and yellow nasturtium blooms are simply radiant. However, they are so fragile they would never make it as a shipped bouquet. When you cut a handful of nasturtiums you need to be ready to enjoy them then and there. The blooms are like tissue paper so they don't travel well. But we grow them from seed! I love that nasturtiums bloom all Summer too. I can make this bouquet as often as I want.

Sunlight and a Marimekko place mat made it even prettier. I love this time of year.

Nasturtiums

This year I am growing 5 pots of nasturtiums! I planted the seeds yesterday (a mix of color and height) and I am looking forward to a bountiful crop.

Remember when my Mom did a "Study in Nasturtiums" last year? Well I've caught nasturtium fever and I can't wait to make some bright bouquets.

I usually grow a few nasturtium seedlings in a pot on the patio and get about 6 blooms at a time. This year I should have scores of blooms - wait till the Garden Club Girls hear.

Long ago, our youngest gardener claimed the "eat-able" flowers as her favorite. I hope she's hungry!

A Study in Nasturtiums

My mom did the coolest thing this Summer. She decided to do her own "scientific research" and grow every variety of nasturtium (that she could find) from seed. She arranged 17 pots on the driveway - each one dedicated to a different color.
She actually took a Sharpie marker and wrote (on the rim of the pot) the name of the seeds planted within. Most of her seeds were from Renee's Garden and had names like "Whirly Bird" and "Cherries Jubilee."

She even made a chart to log which colors she liked, who bloomed first etc. She kept it on a legal pad and walked around the yard with it. Who would think that such a simple thing would take on a life of its own. Lots of people knew about her research and I often heard people ask her, "How are the nasturtiums?"

These beauties bloomed all Summer long and brought her a lot of happiness (and bouquets!). She made little arrangements for the house and often gave people San Pellegrino cans full of orange and yellow blooms. What a wonderful project for the Summer.

P.S. "Copper Sunset" bloomed first.

Limonata Bouquet

I'd like you to meet my favorite bouquet, Limonata. I have been making and giving this arrangement all Summer and I think it is perfect.

Fill an empty San Pellegrino Limonata can (Tip: Drink the sparkling lemonade while you are cutting the flowers!) with water and add:

• one yellow rose
• a few orange nasturtiums
• a small pink rose
• a sprig of banana-colored lantana

It is such a "happy" bouquet - one that is sure to bring delight!

Sunshine & Time

Have you ever grown nasturtiums? Known on my street as the "eat-able" flowers (you remember my Garden Club Girls, right?), nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed and are edible (if you avoid sprays and fertilizer). My Mom & I rely on Renee's Garden Seeds for our garden and have already ordered this year's assortment. With names like "Whirlybird" and "Creamsicle," how can you resist? Simply fill a pot with dirt, push the seeds in and water. After that, all you need is sunshine & time. These bright blooms are beautiful in arrangements and striking on their own.

Nasturtiums

There I was, buying things for a different purpose than they were intended again. I was trying to exit a cafe with an armful of icy aqua & yellow cans when a stranger on the sidewalk called out, "You must really like those!"

Truth be told, I had never tried the drink...I wanted the can for a bouquet of nasturtiums. So I bought several of each flavor and viola! I absolutely love how this looks - orange, yellow, pink nasturtiums (with round leaves), a rose and a sprig of coreopsis.

Added bonus...the drink is delish! This is San Pellegrino's new sparkling orange (or lemon) beverage called Aranciata. Cold, tart and not too sweet. Drinks on the patio, anyone?