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The Annual Hanging Nasturtium Display

Cascades of flowering Nasturtium vines make their brief but dramatic appearance above the Courtyard, celebrating the arrival of spring at the Museum. (Nasturtium blooms last about three weeks.) The Hanging Nasturtium display continues an annual tradition started by Isabella Stewart Gardner during the week before Easter, marking the return of color to the Fenway.

Nasturtium vines (Tropaeolum majus) are started from seed in June, planted in late summer, and trained in the Museum’s greenhouses throughout the winter to prepare them for their spectacular spring debut. The vines require continuous care in the greenhouse to ensure dramatic length—up to twenty feet—and require up to ten workers to install in the Museum. The result is a stunning display that cannot be found anywhere else!