Flower Favorites

Until recently if you asked my favorite flower I would have had a quick answer for you.

No, it wasn't roses or orchids, though I like them both.

Orchids do tend to make me sneeze.

Until recently I would have answered that my favorite flowers were violets.

I've been thinking a lot about flowers recently because I have Spring Fever and am looking forward to warm weather when I can plant some flowers. I have decided to plant my favorites in pots on the porch. Are you curious yet?

Nasturtiums!

 This year I plan to plant lots of Nasturtiums, both on the porch and in the yard.

Before we moved here we lived in a townhouse in Maryland. We had three dogs, Pylon- a Lab mix, Bentley- a Portie and Lucy- a Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix. We had a small back yard in which we planted lots of trees and flowers. I also had pots of flowers on the deck. In a couple of the pots I planted Nasturtiums.

One day I was reading a magazine that mentioned putting Nasturtium flowers in salads for color.

When Rob came home that night I told him about the article and we both wondered what Nasturtiums tasted like.

We went onto the deck and I picked a couple Nasturtium flowers and we each ate one. They have a peppery taste.

The three dogs were interested in what we were doing, after all food is important to most dogs. I picked a flower for each of them. Py and Lucy ate theirs, then wandered off, but Bentley begged for another.

The next morning I let the dogs out and went to pour a cup of coffee. When I returned to the deck with my coffee, Bentley had his head in the flower pot and was eating Nasturtium flowers. He ate them all. Good thing I didn't plan to use them in a salad that night.

Every morning for the rest of the summer, Bentley would check for any flowers that had opened that day. He would carefully snap them off their stems, not damaging the plant.

The boy had a real craving for Nasturtiums.

I have no photos of Bentley eating his flowers, but apparently there are some other Nasturtium lovers.

Every summer for the rest of his life I planted a pot of Nasturtiums for Bentley and every morning he feasted on them. Since Bentley died I have not planted Nasturtiums, but this year I will. I'll try this pack of Porties and see if they like the flowers as much as he did.

I found this shirt online and I just may get it for one of my dogs.

The porch should look very cheerful covered with these happy flowers and this time I might actually get a salad from them.