A Salad Lover’s Flower
Do like salads? Do you like elegant salads? Do you like the idea of being able to go to your backyard (or a container for plants, if you don’t have a backyard) and pick a pretty flower and round, green, tangy leaves to put in your salad?
In order to present to you nasturtium, the flower pictured in this watercolor, I wanted to show you a picture of this edible plant. Instead of showing a photograph, I decided to do a watercolor. When you paint, unlike in a photograph, you can choose what you want to present. So I decided to emphasize the flowers (which will become pretty petals of orange, yellow or red in your salad) and the round-shaped leaves.
The nasturtium seed looks like a shriveled chickpea. It grows easily: all you need to do is poke it with your finger into the ground. Don’t plant nasturtium where you have precious grass; the nasturtium plant will take over, and come frost time you’ll have a bare spot where you used to have grass. But I find it fairly easy to grow. The first summer I tried there was a drought in New Jersey, and these plants did not do well. But recently we’ve had a lot of rain, and my little germinated nasturtium plants are already sticking two round little leaves out of the ground.
More about nasturtium here.
Gail says
Your picture is so pretty. I've never tasted nasturtium before. You've made me curious to try it.
leoraw says
Very easy. Especially where you live. Just buy a pack of seeds next time you are in the supermarket or Home Depot or wherever they sell seeds, go home, and stick the seeds in the grown at scattered spots. In a few weeks, those little round leaves will pop up.
Gail says
Cool! I will look for them next time I am at the store.
Ilana-Davita says
Is it still ok to plant now?
Beautiful picture.
leoraw says
Yes, now is fine. I think a few weeks earlier may have been ideal, but you'll get some flowers by mid-summer. You get enough rain in your area, right? Looks like it from your roses!
therapydoc says
You're wonderful.
phyllis says
that is beautiful! what a great way to represent. (do you scan your watercolors or take pics of them? they come out so nice.) hmm...i might have to get me some seeds. wow.
hihorosie says
Have never tasted these but your painting is lovely. :)
leoraw says
therapydoc, a large incentive for my blogging is just to put up my artwork. so nice to get these wonderful responses.
Phyllis, I started doing them small just so I could fit them in my scanner.
Rosie, they would be easy to grow in Seattle, too! But if you are gardening in a small plot, they might take over other plants.
I think they are also good for scaring away certain bugs. Isn't that funny, the bugs are afraid of these flowers?
Mason says
I've been eating nasturtium for years in my salads. I've got a bunch growing in my front yard!
Daniel Saunders says
I really like the watercolour, and I had idea that nasturtiums were edible.
leoraw says
Mason, yeah, they are good!
Daniel, I'm glad you liked it.
Please leave a comment! I love to hear from you.