Edible flowers at Potager Garden
There’s nothing more fulfilling than a hard day’s work in the garden, only to be rewarded by the fruits of your labour blossoming throughout the summer. But did you know there’s a whole host of edible flowers you could be using to brighten up more than just your lawn? We took a trip to Potager Garden and discovered the beautiful blooms used in their dishes, and got some advice on how to grow them ourselves.
Pineapple Guava
(Acca sellowiana)
This exotic looking plant blossoms in the summer producing flowers with petals of a sweet, tropical taste and a velvety texture. The petals are perfect for adding a bit of colour to your salad and a tropical vibe to your garden. This tree also produces a green fruit that has a sweet taste and can be used for cooking. The ideal conditions for growing a Pineapple Guava tree are well draining soil and full sun in a sheltered site.
Chive Blossom
(Allium schoenoprasum)
You probably already use the thin green stalks for cooking but did you know the lovely lavender shaded blossom is also edible? Simply pull the flower head apart for decorative purple flowers with a delicate onion flavour. Perfect sprinkled over a side salad. Grow in fertile well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. They can be grown from seeds or by dividing existing plants.
Wild Pansy
(Viola tricolor)
Mostly used for colour in cooking but also a good source of vitamin C. These small flowers have a sweet, floral flavour, flowering between May and September. Sow the seeds late winter/ early spring and they will grow anywhere except deep shade and can be enjoyed all summer long.
Borage or Bee Bush
(Borago officinalis)
The flowers are decorative and taste of cucumber, try freezing in ice cubes and serving in drinks to delight guests at your next garden party. Aside from being edible they are great for attracting bees to the vegetable garden and used in companion planting, helping other plants to resist pests and diseases. They flower over a long period in the summer and can be grown from seeds in sun or partial shade.
Lavender
(Lavendula angustifolia)
These popular flowers make the ideal companion for cakes and biscuits adding a light floral taste to dishes. They can also be used as a garnish for sorbets or ice cream and become more flavoursome once the flowers are dried. To grow your own lavender place in poor, free draining soil with course grit to improve drainage. They can also be grown in a large pot if space is a problem.
Nasturtiums
(Tropaeolum majus)
The leaves of this flower are hot and peppery, they really spice up a green salad, or a beetroot and halloumi salad like the above picture. The flowers are red and orange and less peppery than the leaves. Like something sweet? Bite just the tip of the base of the flower for a little hit of sweetness from the nectar.
Grow from seed in full sun and deadhead regularly for flowering in summer and autumn. These flowers prefer poor soil.
Pot Marigold
(Calendula officinalis)
Bright red, orange and yellow petals add a beautiful vibrancy to salads and are full of antioxidants. They can also be used to soothe sunburn and to create a digestive-soothing tea. They are also used in companion planting to aid pollination and keep pests at bay. To grow, seed in spring or autumn in free-draining soil with full sun or partial shade, deadhead regularly to encourage flowering.
What edible flowers are you growing in your garden? We’d love to see your creations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #SeasaltArtsClub.