Grow your own Rainbow of Edible Flowers

Grow your own Rainbow of Edible Flowers. When I was growing up, eating five vegetables and fruits a day was considered a very healthy diet. according to the Department of health, nowadays, we should increase this to seven a day! eating our greens has always been important but there are so many other colours we can eat, which could make achieving a healthy diet more exciting. We are familiar with different colour fruit and vegetables but how about eating the brightly coloured flowers too. Why not try eating a rainbow of flowers instead? (Fig.1). buying edible flowers can be expensive and they need to be eaten the day they are purchased. growing edible flowers from seed is incredibly easy and they can be picked as you need them. If you have grown them yourself, you can also be assured that they haven’t been sprayed with any chemicals or have any harmful pests or diseases. edible flowers are a great way to add a bit of colour and flavour to any meal. take note that there are some flowers which are poisonous so make sure you know its edible before trying it. there are lots of good websites that will point you in the right direction.

DEIRDRE’S RAINBOW OF EDIBLE FLOWERS

Red

Carnation (Fig.2) Dianthus. carnation flowers are slightly spicy and tastes like a mild clove flavour and are a great addition to a salad or cakes. they are also delicious when added to ice cream, sorbets or even stir fries.

Green

Parsley, Mint, Basil etc (Fig.5) We are not stuck for inspiration of the many green leaves we can eat from the garden but don’t forget that the flowers of all of our common herbs are just as delicious and can pack a punchier taste than the herb leaf.

Blue

Borage (Fig.6) Borago officinalis. borage is an annual with bristly leaves and stunning blue star-shaped flowers, dangling in bunches from its stem from may to september. the flowers taste sweet and can be used in drinks and on salads.

Indigo

Sage (Fig.7) Salvia officinalis. the flavour of sage flowers is similar to the taste of the leaves but they add a splash of colour to any salad or stuffing mix. I love the purple colour and they look great in home-made vinaigrettes or sage infused oils.

Violet

Chives (Fig.8) Allium schoenoprasum. my most favourite flowers to eat are chives. the colour alone is delicious. they are slightly oniony in flavour and taste (and look) great on a salad or even mixed in with scrambled eggs. Just remove the flower head from the top of the stem and separate the florets.

sources: Ireland's Home Interior and Living, August 2018