In the last couple of years, I've gone crazy for Nasturtiums, an edible flower that is fairly easy to grow. Last year, I watered them too much and they did not do well--it seems they prefer to be ignored. The ones in this painting are from this year's rooftop garden, and they greet me with a big splash of beautiful colors---red, orange and yellow---each time I hoof it up the stairs to the roof. The cup was a thank you gift from a neighbor friend, and is from Door County. What I love about Nasturtiums is their wild and crazy growth, and the sweetness of their leaves in so many sizes from large to teeny-tiny.
I always like to learn a little something about my subject, so here is what I learned about Nasturtiums.
Copied from www.exoticflowers.com:
"As for the symbolism behind nasturtiums, the blossom is known for meaning “patriotism” and “conquest”. We’re not sure why exactly but the flower has strong ties to combat and war, perhaps because of its shocking color of orange and red or maybe because the shape of the foliage resembles the appearance of a shield. Whatever the reason, soldiers customarily wore nasturtiums as a sign of victory, which were gifted to them by maidens. Large blankets of flower heads were also woven to make blankets and cloaks for those who successfully won a difficult battle. Today, the nasturtium resonates towards a “happy” theme and has also become an emblem for the warm summer months of July and August. "
https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/933-gifted-by-maidens/753485
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