Courgette Flowers (gouache style)

A courgette is a summer squash picked young; left on the plant, it grows into a marrow. Plants are bushy, with large, often silver-marked leaves and big yellow trumpet flowers. Each plant carries two kinds of flower. Male flowers sit on thin stalks, while female flowers have a tiny courgette behind the petals, and insects carry pollen between them. Green varieties are most common, but there are yellow and round kinds too.

Courgettes are tender, so sow them indoors in April or May, one seed on its edge in a small pot, or outdoors under cover in late May. Plant out in late May or June, once there's no risk of frost, into rich soil with plenty of compost. Water generously at the base, avoiding the leaves, and mulch to hold moisture. Once fruits start, feed every ten days or so with a high-potash liquid feed. Pick at around 10cm long, several times a week, because regular picking keeps the plant producing.

In this image a courgette plant carries large yellow flowers and green courgettes at the same time. That's what a healthy plant looks like in high summer, flowering and fruiting at full pace. Showing the bright blooms with the fruit makes clear how quickly one stage turns into the next.