A new floral display in Letterkenny has its roots, literally, in the garden of one of the world’s most famous artists.
To the unknowing eye the bloom of nasturtiums along the wall at Conwal Parish Church on Church Lane are simply a lovely addition to a blossoming part of the town.
But they are in fact directly descended from the home of French impressionist painter Claude Monet.
While born in Paris in 1840, Monet lived for much of his life and up until his death in the northern French town of Giverny. It was in Giverny that he painted the lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best known works.
Monet’s home is a popular tourist attraction and it was while on a visit to Giverny that Letterkenny Tidy Towns member Charlie Grant acquired the nasturtium seeds. He brought them home, nurtured them and has now donated what are essentially flowers from the garden of Claude Monet to the Church Lane redevelopment project headed by Donnan Harvey.
Charlie Grant of Letterkenny Tidy Towns who brought the seeds from Monet’s garden in France.
“I was in France three years ago, it was the end of August, and I spent a great day visiting Monet’s garden,” said Charlie.
“The flowers were ready for picking so I threw some seeds into my pockets and brought them home with me.
“I grew them and I said to Donnan (Harvey, champion of the Church Street rejuventation programme) do you want a bit of colour? And that is where all the nasturtiums you see at Glencar Park and Church Lane came from.”
While only small in number at present, it is thought the nasturtiums will leave behind thousands of seeds which will explode in full colour and scent next summer.
The stunning gardens that surround the Giverny home of Claude Monet. The painter lived in the house in northern France up until his death.
“You also have aubretia in there which come in the spring, March, April and May. And after that you have your nasturtiums so you will have colour for around nine months of the year. This is the first year of the nasturtiums but around 1,000 seeds will drop down and they will all come again next year, all of them the children of Monet’s garden,” said Charlie.
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