[4EverGrounded]

Hub and I are talking about putting in some flowers in a particular area of our yard. We live in zone 8, so we need things that are cold-weather hardy and can handle lots of moisture. I want to put in edible flowers but I don't want anything that is fussy or anything that makes a mess. A nice no-maintainence flower is ideal, but I'll take as near to that as I can get. Roses are a first thought, but I already have some. Any ideas?

Oh, yea. I've already decided that I'm going to put some lavender in (because of the edibility and because I like them) but I don't want all lavender in that area...

 

[GhostUser]

I heard that pansies are really easy. All species of pansy (viola) are okay for Zone 8 from what I've read. This is cool...from my "Western Garden" book: "Try interplanting pansies from six-packs with plants of chamomile (Chamaemelum) also from six-packs. The chamomile grows fastest at first, filling in around the still-gangly young pansy plants. Then, for months, both display together- the chamomile's light green as a soft, friendly filler among the flowering pansies. Shear the chamomile if it gets too big." That's really cool, because chamomile is edible too, and you can dry it to make tea! Yum. It's also good in all zones.

Borage is also okay for all zones.

I wish I could think of more!

 

[sunshinemelissa]

Off the subject, but it reminded me of a funny incedent. i was at a Thai restaurant the other day and there were some flowers on my plate. I knew they must be edible, but thought I'd double check with the waitor just in case. I asked him if they were edible and he said, "yes, but noone ever eats them." so I stuck it in my mouth. He jsut stood there and stared at me for a second, them walked away shaking his head. He thought it was sooo odd. Then every time he came to the ttable he looked at me funny like I was some psycho. It was so funny. I don't know what kind of flower it was, but it wasn't that bad. it looked like the kind they make leis out of.

 

[dvmarie]

Quote:

Originally posted by DeeYahMK

Oh, yea. I've already decided that I'm going to put some lavender in (because of the edibility and because I like them) but I don't want all lavender in that area...

I'm total lavender junkie. I even drink tea with lavender in it (it's really awesome).

I'm not sure if it grows in your zone, but how about Honeysuckle? I used to have it back home, and it grew like weeds (and smelled GREAT).

 

[slynny]

I love to put pansy and nastertium petals in my salads.

Here is a link with a list of edible flowers and some recipes...

http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/edibleflowers.html

Egads! sorry none of the recipes are vegan...I didn't look at them carefully before I posted

so ignore them...

 

[dvmarie]

Some of the recipes are vegan (like the FLORAL LIQUEUR

)

Great link - thanks!! (I didn't know Okra blossoms were edible!!)

 

[soilman]

Day Lily petals are edible. They have a nicy spicy taste. Nice in salads. My neigbor who is a Day-Lily breeder told me, and gave me a taste. I never tried growing them myself.

Zucchini, and other squash blossom petals are supposedly edible, as well as pumpkin blossoms. never tried em tho.

 

[Kamila]

They are soilman. Usually the male flowers are eaten, either batter dipped and fried or stuffed with a bread or grain stuffing, tied or wrapped shut and baked.

Chive blossoms are edible and taste like chives but are purple instead of green. Hollyhocks are almost famous for the different herbal uses of their flowers.

 

[4EverGrounded]

Quote:

Originally posted by slynny

I love to put pansy and nastertium petals in my salads.

Here is a link with a list of edible flowers and some recipes...

http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/edibleflowers.html

Egads! sorry none of the recipes are vegan...I didn't look at them carefully before I posted

so ignore them...

Great link, thanks! Don't worry about the recipes, tho. Some can be veg'd while others can't. It's ironic that the ones that can't be veg'd were also the ones that I thought "I'll never make that" even before I read the ingredient list..