The sights and smells of a garden in full bloom offer such brilliant rewards, why not take it a step further and remind yourself of nature’s bounty as you eat the FLOWERS that you grew! Many flowers in your garden can be eaten (some cannot) and they make tasty and colorful additions to your salads, teas, deserts and more.
Frequent garden bloomers such as Nasturtium, Calendula, and Borage can be refreshingly sweet and spicy additions to salads. Try candying Violets, Lilacs, and Rose petals for a tempting floral desert garnish. Hearty blooms such as squash flowers and Lily blossoms can be baked or even stuffed as appetizers! One of our new favorite edible plants is Tulbaghia violacea (Society Garlic) which has lightly garlic scented flowers that can be used as a garnish to a stir-fry or garlic mashed potatoes. Why not finish off your organic floral smorgasbord with some Lavender or Mint ice cream? Of course, we can’t forget the soothing Chamomile and Jasmine flowers as ingredients for our evening teas.
Feed your flowers with some Big Bloom every week, and they will return the favor. The organic nutrients in Big Bloom are the key to healthy soil, healthy plants, and delicious edible flowers!
Harvest in the morning for peak freshness, and avoid the aging blossoms. Also be sure to remove the sepals from most flowers, avoid anything that has been sprayed, and slowly introduce flowers into your diet to avoid any potential allergy issues.
The Colorado State University extension has more information about which flowers (and flower parts) are edible; Colorado State University - Edible Flowers.
