The one thing I love about the beginning of winters in the Cape, is the fact that all the nasturtiums appear.
These lovely flowers add such colour to the garden and have such happy faces.
They come in all sorts of colours - yellows, orange,reds and multi colours.
As these plants self seed so easily, they will appear every year in the garden just when all else is going into a winter sleep.
Many people do not hold the nasturtium in very high regard, but they are a very useful plant to have for the following reasons:
They attract aphids and so keep them away from other plants.
Having nasturtiums also attracts insects that will pollinate other plants - bees especially.
They make a good ground cover for the garden soil.
The flowers are edible and look lovely in salads.
The leaves are also edible and have a peppery taste - also said to help with colds and flu.
The seeds can be harvested and pickled to be used as capers - they are often referred to as "the poor man's caper".
As a cut flower, the nasturtium looks delightful in a small vase, bringing a cheerful spot of colour into the home.