Exotic Flowers in Boston

We use flowers to design our homes, landscape our property and even call upon them to provide medicinal benefits both in sickness and in health.  Yes, flowers are a remarkable gift from Mother Nature and we are incredibly blessed to rely on them for a vast provision of attributes, including their taste!  How many foodies out there have tried a meal that has incorporated some part of a bloom and thought it was delicious?  I’m willing to bet there are several of you who have experienced the savory characteristics of flora in cuisine such as the interesting taste, texture and aroma that are capable of enhancing top-notch recipes.  Salads, pastas and even roast beef have been known to be creatively dressed with blossoms, sparking higher appeal from our stomachs and taste buds.  Do you have to be adventurous with food to enjoy these floral dishes and treats?  Heck No!  If you only possess a small bit of curiosity, I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised by these scrumptious recipes, which all include a bit of Mother’s Nature’s glorious gifts from the garden…

Mushroom Ravioli with Sprinkled Chive and Lavender

Raviolis are yummy just about anyway you prepare them but when I say this mushroom recipe with sprinkled chive and lavender sprigs is to die for?  I mean it…  Don’t be turned off by the rustic atonement of garden spice that seem unusual for ingredients- I promise you won’t be disappointed.  The creamy filling perfectly compliments the earthy taste of these flowering herbs to create and interesting and unique take on this popular Italian dish.  

photo via Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum       

 Nasturtium Salad

If you’re into salad like I am, you’re going to LOVE this fun take on designing a floral infused plate of greens and nasturtiums!  Not only can you add whatever dressing you want (although Italian and balsamic vinegar pair best with the combination) the color of the plate is perfect for summertime dinner parties where the salad serves also as a festive centerpiece.

Wild Violet Cupcakes

You might be surprised by the fact that wild violets are actually naturally sweet in taste but in all honesty, it’s true.  Farmers everywhere are adding these beautiful flowers to their tarts and cakes, especially to their cupcakes!  Their inherent possession of sweetness enhances already decadent baked goods while also turning up the flair to create a fancy table.  Now what could be better than that?

1. I have long been an adorer of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum here in Boston and always make it a point to visit at least twice a year or more if the time allows.  Since I was very little, I remember being drawn to the enchantment of the three-tiered mansion that once belonged to the Gardner Family showcasing an impressive collection of art, music and plantings.   Most notable proprietor, Isabella or otherwise known as “Mrs. Jack” born on April 14, 1840 (a fellow Aries), was a feverish collector of paintings, artifacts and other beautiful treasures, which she displayed in a revolutionary fashion.  Instead of exhibiting her cherished items on walls typical to museum fashion (such as the MFA), Isabella decided to present her artwork in a more intimately elaborate array.  If you’ve ever been to the Gardner, you’ll be familiar with this fact as you pass by Renoirs and Segal’s hung in tiny rooms alongside an assemblage of antique spoons and shoes.  The appeal to wander through Isabella’s house marveling at her priceless compilation is more than a cultural experience, it’s a personal one.

For many Bostonians who have journeyed through the museum, one of the utmost attractions is the stunning garden that blooms year round in the center of the architecture.  Depending on when you go, there is a courtyard filled with seasonal plants and flowers that patrons can photograph (without flashes) or sketch in the interlude of enjoying the other pieces of fine art.  As a person who is crazy about the idea of strolling through a Victorian stone building growing blossoms through the center, I couldn’t recommend this day trip more to others with similar interests.  But perhaps gardening isn’t your thing and ask, “Why should I bother to go?”  That’s a very good question… The Isabella Stewart Gardner museum is such an important example of Bostonian art history that I can name several reasons why you should tour the vicinity whether you’re into botany or not.

1. “Blossoming” Artists:  Student artists will not only be able to take a lesson or two from the impressive renaissance portraits on display but can actual get a hands on experience drawing and sketching the garden itself.  The museum provides pencils and paper for anyone who would like to take the time to capture the beauty in their own expressive way.  
2. Mystery Lovers:  If you like a good who-done-it then you’ll love trying to solve the mystery of the famous March 18, 1990 heist where 500 million dollars worth of artwork was stolen.  The crime has never been solved but the frames are still left empty on the walls.
3. Philanthropists:  Isabella was more than just an art collector; she was one of the largest philanthropists in her time within Boston.  She relayed millions of dollars to special causes such as Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Industrial School for Crippled and Deformed Children, Animal Rescue League and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
4. If You’re Cheap:  The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has great deals on tickets such as free entry on your birthday, $2 dollars off admission prices if you wear Red Sox gear, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders receive free entry on the first full weekend of each month and if you’re name is “Isabella” than you have free admission for LIFE

Spring is right around the corner and that means summer gardening is soon to follow!  During the months of March and April, it’s still too cold to begin harvesting in the backyard but it is the perfect time to start planning for materials and other necessities you’ll need.   On your list, be sure to write down shovels, mulch, soil, plant food and any other gardening tools you prefer to use during the outdoor season, particularly the seeds you’ll want to start as soon as the weather warms.   Seeds are a wonderful way not only to save money but to also preoccupy the time before the earth thaws to a comfortable temperature.  Select any blooms that tickle your fancy and give them an early boost by planting them indoors, inside containers set by a window.  This will benefit your garden if we have a late spring arrival as well as spark their longevity once it’s time to re-pot to the outdoors.

photo credit via Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

One area pre-started indoor seedlings can become extremely useful is when they are being implemented to scale the exterior of houses.  If you’re a fan of this landscaping style like I am, you’re probably already dreaming about the species of sensational blooms you intend to display.  Do you love Morning Glories or do you prefer purple clematis to scale your home’s architecture?  Believe it or not, there are millions of choices available to you and most are successful no matter what the material of your house is built out of.  So if you’re bored with simple side plots and window boxes as your main gardening project, take a look at these stunning species that make dynamic and romantic presentations when utilized as New England floral climbers.  

Morning Glories

Morning Glories are fantastic garden climbers and reproduce shoots quickly once they get going.  Their beautiful blue heads are shaped like trumpets and open and close from sunrise to nightfall.  They are typically annuals although they drop seeds and will re-generate the following summer so be sure you have a large enough space for them to grow maturely.  

Clematis

Clematis is usually a favorite of well-experienced gardeners because it is a colorful yet dependable plant to include in your flowerbeds.  Available in a wide array of hues, they are capable of climbing anywhere you train them to although they won’t multiply so they can live happily in a small area of land.

Nasturtium “Flame Thrower”

Nasturtiums are my number go-to when it comes to planting seeds because they are fiery in color and gorgeous when they begin to extend their tendrils, which clip onto whatever is closest.  Much like the Morning Glory, the heads are bell-like except the blooms stay open throughout the day.  

Trailing Sweet Pea

Another one of my beloved varieties is the Trailing Sweet Pea, which curls itself over other flowers it’s nearby with its delicate bending stems and foliage.  They are soft pedaled plants and will often disappear once the heat arrives from summer but they will make a massive impact on your gardening efforts from April to late June.

Nasturtiums

And so my garden I did fill

with nasturtiums bright and  clear

they did with colour fill the space

they did not my eyes disgrace

Black fly is their only foe

and so the black fly have to go

By

Joe Cole

photo credit; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Nasturtiums are my very favorite garden flower and the reasons for this are plentiful… The bright colored petals of sunshine, the crisp fragrance of earth and the lily pad-like foliage is all part of the simplistic beauty that these blossoms gift any flowerbed they are planted within.  While they pair nicely with varieties such as lantana, campanula, coleus, phlox, they also perform quite nicely when potted in hanging plants.  The cascades of green discs and vibrant blossoms make an attractive door or lantern hanger.  Beyond the nasturtiums placement in the garden, culinary chefs have also found the heads and stems to be useful, particularly within salads or to make capers.  Since the plant is safely consumable, the attractiveness of its physical properties allows this flower to become a welcomed addition for garnish or as an ingredient for leafy recipes.   

photo credit: Isabella Stewart Gradner Museum

Unlike many other flora and fauna found within the northeast, New England gardens had to wait their turn to find the nasturtium species.  Originally, this plant was grown in Peru and took decades to slowly make its way across the world to the USA.  Oddly enough, it took some time before the flower gained popularity with growers but eventually the majestic specimen became a highly demanded import.  Presently, this bloom is cultivated in vast amounts within greenhouses by seed during the early spring and then later sold to customers in 6 packs during May through August.  

As for the symbolism behind nasturtiums, the blossom is known for meaning “patriotism” and “conquest”.  We’re not sure why exactly but the flower has strong ties to combat and war, perhaps because of its shocking color of orange and red or maybe because the shape of the foliage resembles the appearance of a shield.  Whatever the reason, soldiers customarily wore nasturtiums as a sign of victory, which were gifted to them by maidens.  Large blankets of flower heads were also woven to make blankets and cloaks for those who successfully won a difficult battle.  Today, the nasturtium resonates towards a “happy” theme and has also become an emblem for the warm summer months of July and August.