The wonder of Nasturtiums

 "Just looking at nasturtiums can make you smile - eating them might even make you giggle!" 

Nasturtiums along my garden pathway

My Nasturtiums have put up the most spectacular show this season and with summer still stretching ahead of us, I'm hoping to get lots of flowers until about April-May. They are an absolute delight to the insects, with sweet nectar accumulating at the base of the flower, luring ants, bees, flies, and even a few wasps. They also flowered right through winter, brightening up the garden just when I needed it most.

Nasturtiums (Latin name Tropaeolum) are a gardener's dream. 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. They are virtually carefree once established. Snails don't seem to be interested in them and neither are any other insects, except maybe aphids, although I've never had this problem. So plant them amongst some other flowers to keep insects at bay.

Nasturtiums will self seed and come back the next year and the next. I look forward to their return each year; it signals that summer is here at last.

For Growing Nasturtiums I have found that sunny spots work best, (too much shade and you have a lot of greenery with only a few flowers) even though they might need more watering, especially if you have a quick-draining soil like ours here in Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa. Nasturtiums seed so prolifically that, after your first initial planting, you never have to buy seeds again. At the end of the flowering season I usually collect hundreds of seeds from the plants, a job in itself very enjoyable, as I sit picking out the round pea-like seeds amongst the leaves.

Sow Nasturtium seeds once the weather warms up, either in early spring or early summer depending on your location. Sow the seeds about 10 to 15 inches apart, and about 1 inch deep. Water immediately after planting. Then do not water for another 10 days. If you choose a climbing variety, make sure to provide a support for the plant and train it as it grows. Within a few weeks you should have healthy plants with flowers, and prolific flowers in due course!

Nasturtiums in a Terracotta pot

I just love Nasturtiums in containers of any sort, trailing over the rim to create a colourful display. If you have trouble growing them in your garden, go for growing them in pots or any container you can lay your hands on. Just plant your seeds in pots filled with a good potting soil, put them in full sun, keep moist and you will be rewarded with a beautiful show of flowers.

 

 My pot needs painting! But it has been growing Nasturtiums for so long, trailing over the edge, that I just never get the chance.

 

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And then of course there's the culinary aspect of this versatile plant. (If you intend using any part of the plant for cooking, remember to avoid using pesticides of any sort.) Nasturtiums leaves have a slightly pepper taste. The flowers are also edible, but have a milder taste; it is their vibrant splash of colour that has appeal. Nasturtium seeds are also edible when they are young and green, being used in lieu of capers. The seeds can also be used in a pepper mill instead of black pepper. Nasturtiums have 10 times the vitamin C of lettuce, so a generous portion of leaves and flowers added to salads will appeal to the health conscious.

 Use Nasturtiums to decorate your favourite dish

Try adding the blossoms to salads for a dramatic effect. Nasturtium's spiciness also spices up and brightens cheese spreads. Both the leaves and the blossoms are decorative additions to sandwiches. For a stunning look, pair orange nasturtium blossoms with violets on open-faced cucumber sandwiches on white bread. Adding a few nasturtium leaves to soups and garnishing the puréed soup with nasturtium blossoms is yet another way of utilizing nasturtiums.

These little wonders require very little attention to thrive in your garden. Just give them some soil, water and room to grow and they'll reward you with a beautiful display throughout the year.

 

The trailing variety looks wonderful if planted next to a log or some rocks, where they will creep up it

 Nasturtiums covering a log

Creeping over a log

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Ornamental grasses in the garden

Ornamental grasses can be used as fillers or specimens, border plants or background plantings, as ground covers or screens, or they may be grown as container plants. Their adaptability and subtle beauty make them perfect companions to flowering plants and other woody ornamentals.

This beautiful fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'rubrum') thrives in warmer, drier areas and threatens many native species and has been declared as a Category 1 weed in South Africa and although it is beautiful, I have since removed it. Other Category 1 weeds are Spanish reed (Arundo donax), pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata, C. selloana) and tussock-grass (Nassella tenuissima, N. trichotoma)

Grasses can be used in the landscape just like perennials, but their usefulness extends far beyond that of a normal perennial. Grasses are useful for erosion control, space barriers, wildlife shelters, winter interest, as a background to flowering plants, and as architectural features, to name a few.

Grasses add the dimensions of sound and movement to the garden as wind catches and rustles the leaves. The dried stalks of many grasses remain upright for winter interest. The wide variety of colours, sizes and growth habits of grasses assures that one will fit almost any garden.

The term ornamental grass is used to include not only true grasses (Gramineae) but also close relatives such as sedges (Cyperaceae) (Carex), rushes (Juncaceae), Liriope, hardy bamboos (particularly the genus Phyllostachys), and others. The flower spikes (also known as inflorescences) can be found in different shades of maroon, red, pink, silver, white, yellow, or beige and are excellent for drying.

Ornamental grasses are not the kind of grasses that you broadcast spread across the front or back yard. Hopefully, you will never run across them with the lawn mower, either. Rather, Ornamental grasses are decorative. They look great in the flower garden. They are used to add depth and texture to highlight rock gardens or if they are mixed amidst shrubs.

Ornamental grasses add grace and motion to the garden with strap-like foliage that sways in the gentlest breeze. The fluffy flowers and seed heads on many varieties last throughout the winter, attracting birds and adding winter interest to the garden.

Silky grass in the middle of winter

Ornamental grasses include many species with different textures, sizes, colours, and flower forms. Each grass species has it’s own unique form. They may form low compact mounds, tall screens, or densely spreading mats. The foliage colours include various shades of green, blue and red, as well as variegated varieties having red, white or yellow foliage banded with ivory or yellow stripes. In the fall, the spring and summer colours change to hues of red, beige, or brown, providing a great winter garden accent.

Ornamental grasses fit into the herbaceous (non-woody) category of earth’s vegetation and they are divided into two categories: cool-season and warm season. As the name suggests, cool season grasses make their best growth during the spring and autumn and usually become dormant or semi-dormant during the heat of summer. Feather Reed Grass and Blue Fescue are prime examples.
Warm season grasses make their best growth during long summer days and go dormant during the winter. The popular Maiden Grasses are examples of warm season grasses.

SELECTING GRASSES
The selection of available grass cultivars is ever increasing. One will find a wide range of height, spread, colour, and flowering times available. Some grasses have become invasive in some areas, have been declared noxious weeds and have been banned from being grown in home gardens. Again seek the advice of a local garden centre before planting grasses.
One of the two key things to consider when selecting a grass is it’s height.

Tall (2m or more), upright growing types create visual interest, especially when used towards the back of a border. Their bold lines break up space over a long season, some remaining attractive well into the winter. These are the big guys! Plan their placement carefully because you won’t be able to move them easily!

Zebra grass - The foliage develops distinctive golden horizontal bands in midsummer. In autumn, silvery-white plumes appear and last up to two months. Zebra grass can grow to 2m or taller (Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus') (4-7 ft. tall).

Medium-sized (60cm to 2m) grasses may be effectively massed together, particularly in gardens with a low maintenance emphasis. Spring-flowering bulbs combine well with these for early season interest. These grasses also can be used a specimen plants throughout your garden without taking up too much space.

Low-growing (less than 60cm) grasses are ideal for edging around shrubs or combining with spreading evergreens. When mass-planted, they will form an attractive low-maintenance groundcover.

BAMBOOS
Bamboos are also grasses; they are made stiff by the presence of silica in their stems.  Often overlooked by homeowners, bamboos are a nice evergreen addition to the ornamental grass palette. There are two types of bamboo:  running bamboo and clumping bamboo.  Running bamboos can be quite invasive; therefore it is important to plant them in an area in which they can be contained or where their running habit is an asset, not a detriment.  Clumping bamboos do not spread; they form clumps. Bamboos are usually evergreen and therefore provide good winter interest.

SITE SELECTION
Most ornamental grasses reside in full sun, having spent most of their existence in savannahs or coastal plains. They don’t need copious amounts of rainfall or watering to exist and can easily survive extended periods of drought.

It’s best not to grow grasses with high water-dependent plants as either the grass will struggle with excessive moisture or the water needy will suffer from not enough. Group ornamental grasses with succulents, cacti and grey-foliage plants for their best rate of survival.

PROPAGATING GRASSES
This is by far one of the easiest plant families to propagate after succulents. The most effective method is via collecting seed and distributing in situ. The problem with grasses is not their ability to propagate but that they are so successful at it. You may find yourself weeding more often if you don’t want them to spread beyond their boundaries. In order to prevent reseeding, harvest the flower heads before they’re fully dry.

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES IN CONTAINERS
Growing ornamental grasses in containers is a great way to feature grasses without the worry of them spreading or taking over the garden. Here I've planted some Restios (Chondropetalum tectorum) in a tall pot. This grass can form a huge clump, spreading up to 1.5m in width if left unchecked.

Restios (Chondropetalum tectorum) next to my garden path - soon I'll either have to re-route the path or thin out the Restios.

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Late-November in the garden

A lost Salvia springing up amongst some ferns

We've had HOT temperatures this November, mostly exceeding 30℃ but luckily we've also had a fair amount of rain and everything is green and sparkling, my garden is exuding gratitude!

Barrel Cactus and Echinopsis cacti flowering

Flower of the Echinopsis cactus

Echinopsis cactus flowers

 

The first peaches of the season, very late, probably due to the fact that we did not have our usual spring rains

 

The first peaches of the season on my 20-year old peach tree

The Fiscal Shrike has been a busy Mommy, filling her larder for the two chicks in the nest

Cacti and succulents on a wooden pallet on my patio

The green, green grass of home

Pieces of a broken mirror hanging from a tree casting dappled spots of sunshine

Nasturtiums finding their way over a nearby log

An old paraffin lamp providing light on warm summer evenings

 Rain, wonderful rain!

Rain gauge showing 20mm of rain

My Rattail cactus in full flower

The kiss of sun

- for pardon

the song of the birds

- for mirth

One is nearer god's heart in a garden

than anywhere else on earth

I want to grow a flower for every time someone smiles.

The Zebra grass springing back after being chopped down in the winter.

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Shasta daisies in the garden

Not much gardening has been happening over the past couple of weeks - raking up leaves, tending to the compost heap, neatening edges, nothing exciting.

I've got no Shasta daisies in my garden this year, but I've always had a patch somewhere. What happened? (Note to self: get some more Shastas). As a child I always admired the Shasta Daisies in my father’s garden. What I remember most was the dazzling brightness of the white blooms that always offset the bright colours of the dahlias, larkspur, gazanias, arctotis and zinnias that grew so prolifically under the African sun.

The simple white flowers with yellow button centres are a symbol of purity and are perfect for cutting. Easy to grow, they are a favourite for beginner flower gardeners and are effective when planted in small groups.

Crab Spiders seem to favour Shastas as their favorite while ambush-hunting their prey in flowers. These tiny spiders take on the colour of the flower they're sitting on and it's wonderful to come across a pure white or bright yellow little specimen on your flowers.

A white crab spider catching a butterfly on some Shasta daisies 

Yellow crab spider 

Until recently, Shasta Daisies were considered members of the Chrysanthemum family. But the daisies’ lack of fragrance and hairless stems caused them to be recently reclassified to Leucanthemum, the Sunflower family.

These Daisies like rich, fast draining soil, ample water and lots of sunshine. However, they are hardy and will tolerate poor soil conditions and partial shade. Work some old animal manure or compost into the soil to help promote abundant blooms. Picking often and cutting off dead flowers will extend their bloom period.

So do yourself a favour and get some of these easy-growing, sun-loving daisies for your garden and you'll always have an abundance of butterflies and ready-to-pick flowers for the vase.

Shasta daisies at my pond a couple of seasons ago 

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Remember the birds in winter

 

In winter the wild birds can have a hard time finding enough food. Turn your garden into a haven which they will frequently visit for something to eat.

Fill a pine cone with peanut butter and then roll it in some bird seed. Tie your pine cone to a tree with a piece of string or wire and soon you will have dozens of new feathered friends flocking into your garden for this lovely snack.

A quick, easy and inexpensive way to cater for the fruit eaters is to bend a wire coat hanger into a heart-shape. Add another piece of soft, pliable wire to the top of the hanger onto which to attach the apple, hang in a tree and voila! bob's your uncle! The Black-headed Orioles regularly visit to enjoy the fruit I put out.

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Queen of my own compost heap!

"I'm queen of my own compost heap; I'm getting used to the smell!"

A couple of months ago I started a compost heap again. Can't remember why I gave up the last one... Probably when I got my chickens and all my time was taken up playing with them and building them a coop. But buying commercial compost has not been working for me, the last time I bought some and composted the garden, one of my chickens got terribly ill with Avian botulism. It might have been the commercial compost and it might not have been, but it was too much of a co-incidence that she got sick a day or two after I had composted. Unfortunately she is one of those chickens that eats ANYTHING, stuff that my other girls would turn their noses up at, and I feel one just doesn't know what chemicals are put into even "organic' compost.

So don’t throw away materials when you can use them to improve your lawn and garden! Start composting instead! There is something magical about taking a pile of waste and turning it into black gold – because this is what composting does: it transforms discarded organic matter into nutrient-rich compost. I find it highly satisfying having a separate bin in the kitchen for potato peels, tea bags and other food waste. This gets emptied on top of my compost heap every morning and three times a week all the leaf litter and grass cuttings from the garden is added. I bought a couple of tins of (live) earthworms from a fishing tackle shop and, besides adding them directly to my garden, have also put some into the compost heap and I've been surprised at how they have multiplied!

Compost is the end product of a complex feeding pattern involving hundreds of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi, worms, and insects. What remains after these organisms break down the organic materials is the rich, earthy substance your garden will love. Composting replicates nature’s natural system of breaking down materials on the forest floor. In every forest, grassland, jungle, and garden, plants die, fall to the ground, and decay. They are slowly dismantled by the small organisms living in the soil. Eventually these plant parts disappear into the brown crumbly forest floor. This humus keeps the soil light and fluffy. I therefore hardly ever clean up leaf litter from within my flower beds and though some might not like the look of such an "untidy" garden, I also enjoy watching the Thrushes scratching around in the leaves, enjoying the insects and snails hiding underneath.

This work is deeply simple. All you need is a shady piece of ground large enough for a compost pile that is at least 1×1x2m. First you fork open the soil beneath your proposed pile and arrange a base made of old plant stalks, stems, and soft woody debris. Next you mound on top of this base a deep layer of green, nitrogen-rich materials like garden weeds and grass clippings, mixed with animal manure and kitchen scraps.

The following layer is dry, carbonaceous material like straw and old leaves, or wood chips and sawdust, all well watered so that your pile is nice and moist. Continue to layer your compost green material and then let dry until you have a tall, noble pile, as high as you can reach.

Every compost pile is alive, teeming with billions of invisible micro-organisms digesting your autumn mountain of garbage. In a few short days a healthy compost pile begins to steam with metabolic life as clouds of heat-loving bacteria break down raw protein and complex carbohydrates into amino acids and simple sugars, generating temperatures as high as 72ºC.

This breakdown stage is followed a few weeks later by a build-up stage that lasts for more than a month as complex fungal networks absorb the pile’s free gases into their web work of mycelia, reducing leaching of nutrients, disarming pollutants and disease pathogens, and physically binding soil and compost together, creating stable aggregates that increase water infiltration and retention.

In the last stage of decomposition a few months later—or sooner, if you turn your pile—your mound will be alive with sweet, woodsy-smelling compost laced with up to one hundred industrious compost insects per square foot, intertwined with writhing red compost worms testifying by their presence that decomposition is complete.

Compost Materials
Almost any organic material is suitable for a compost pile. The pile needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or “browns,” and nitrogen-rich materials, or “greens.” Among the brown materials are dried leaves, straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or green, such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

Food
The 50/50 Rule: A perfect mixture of material consists of brown (carbon-based material) and green (nitrogen-based) material by weight.

Air
To Turn or Not to Turn: The organisms that live inside your compost bin need air to survive. Mix or turn the pile three to five times per season using a pitchfork, garden hoe or shovel. Proper aeration can make a big difference. You will know if your bin is not getting enough oxygen if the pile smells of ammonia.

Water
Moist, Not Damp: The organisms need water to survive, but not too much or they will drown. The ideal moisture level of your compost pile should be like that of a wrung out sponge.

Surface Area
Small is Best: Cut up or shred organic waste materials before placing them into the compost bin. This increases the surface area and speeds up decomposition. You can also store your kitchen scraps in your freezer to speed up decomposition, as your materials break down at the cell level when frozen.

When it comes to WHAT NOT TO COMPOST, the best is to use your common sense. Obvious items like chemically-treated wood products, diseased plants, human and pet waste and MEAT, BONES, AND FATTY FOOD WASTES are big no-no's, as is plastic in any form, tins and glass. Keep it natural and you can't go wrong.

And remember: "A good compost pile should get hot enough to poach an egg, but not so hot it would cook a lobster!"

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Country Diary - The Works of Nature

I know no subject more elevating, more amazing, more ready to the poetical enthusiasm, the philosophical reflection, and the moral sentiment than the works of nature. Where can we meet such variety, such beauty, such magnificence? 

- James Thomson

Just across the road from us are a couple of stray Oak trees on the pavement, a few left over from an era when it demarcated someone's drive-way entrance leading to their farm. Scrounging beneath them and picking up acorns is something I really enjoy doing. This sketch was of a find a couple of summers ago and I still have the acorn but the leaf has since dried and crumbled.

The acorn may be small, but it holds a world inside. The nut consists of three parts: the cup (or cupule), a tough outer shell, and a kernel. The kernel is made up of two fat-rich seed leaves called cotyledons which enclose a tiny embryo at the pointed end of the nut. Acorns serve as an essential food for animals and in some cultures, for humans. Acorns contain large amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat, making them a favored food of many animals. It is said that Oak trees don't produce acorns until they are 50 years or older, but I doubt that, as I had an Oak in my previous garden and it produced acorns within 10 years.

Because acorns are too heavy to travel very far from their parent tree, the oak is dependent on animals such as birds and squirrels to disperse its seed. According to one source, the odds of one acorn actually growing into an oak tree are very small--less than 1 in 10,000.

Opposite the two old Oaks are a few Pine trees and I've got a bag full of cones collected from under them. They look beautiful sprayed gold or white for Christmas ornaments and I also use them as bird feeders in my garden, coating them with peanut butter and sprinkling with seeds or pushing in some minced meat for the Robin and Shrikes. I've been meaning to sketch them for quite some time now but am a bit daunted by all the different spikes I'll have to draw to scale! It's next on my list...

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