Photos: Nasturtiums return to the Gardner Museum

The nasturtiums have returned to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The display of foliage is an annual tradition that began in 1904 in celebration of Gardner's birthday.

Nasturtiums (pronounced nuh-stur-shm) are often used as a trap crop to lure pests away from nutritious produce. The plants also attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and, in this case, museum visitors.

The museum's greenhouse begins prepping Nasturtium vines (Tropaeolum majus) from seeds in June. They get planted in late summer and are trained in the Museum’s greenhouses through winter.

The vines grow up to 20 feet with the help of greenhouse staff, and installation requires up to 10 workers. The result is a cascade of flowering vines that leave visitors amazed and inspired.

The team that hangs these giant plants isn't just staff. Volunteers have the opportunity in contributing to this long-standing tradition as well.

Erika Rumbley became the Director of Horticulture at the Isabella Stewart Gardbner Museum in 2019. The hanging of the nasturtiums marks the time when her staff and volunteers get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Her team will begin the process all over again in less than three months.