Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are the first flowers I remember planting as a child.  My mom made an area for us to plant them in the garden.  Looking back, this was probably a big deal because we ate everything that came out of that garden.  None the less, I remember the orange flowers growing under a huge Douglas fir tree on the edge of our garden.

These darker colors are so pretty.

Nasturtiums are great for kids to grow.  The seeds are large and easy to plant.  And the plants produce lots of seeds for the kids to gather and save for next year, thus teaching kids about plants (free home school tip) and their life cycles.

I did a little reading about them in preparation for this posting, and although I knew that the flowers are edible, I also discovered that the leaves and seeds are also edible, as long as they are not sprayed with any chemicals.  The seeds can be pickled when still green and are comparable to capers.  Who knew??

One of the things I like about them is that they are easy to grow, even in poor soil.  I also love the vining habit of some varieties, and the colors are amazing.  They are also nice with other plants, adding those oranges and yellows that complement pinks and purples.