Nasturtium

Nasturtium belongs to the family "Tropaeolacées", originating from South America Their corollas can be yellow, orange, red or salmon-pink coloured. Numerous varieties exist whose a few of them are growers.

Comestible, nasturtiums have been introduced in France under Louis XIV’ reign, for our food needs. Its was, at this time, nicknamed « Peru’s cress ».

 

Nasturtium are sewn in April, after they have been soaked in water for one day, and are happy with ordinary earths, conditionally to be exposed under bright sun. But, being careful, they are attractive to black plant louses. In Giverny, gardeners must control the flowers’ growth to guide them towards the centre of the lane, as Monet was doing.

Monet’s relation with nasturtium begins in the year 1872, during the first ‘’Impressionists exhibition’’ in Nadar’s work-shop, situated   ‘’boulevard… des Capucines’’ (Nasturtium’s boulevard) ! This orange corolla standing out against a light green foliage has then become one of the artist’s preferred flowers, who offered it a predominant situation in the central lane of the ‘’Clos Normand’’. In his book « Giverny along the seasons », Vivian Russell supposes he so wanted to cover the gravely surface which was flouting at him when he had lunch at the veranda.… For this author: « circular leaves of nasturtium were echoing, in advance, to nympheas’ ones. ». Some witnesses also related that the painter was making bamboo stakes in order to grow ‘’climbers Nasturtium’’ in the whole garden.

According to warmth and brightness, Nasturtiums start covering the central lane of the ‘’Clos Normand’’ as early as at the beginning of June, however, the ideal period to walk on this flowered lane is situated between the beginning of August till mid-September.