Landscape
and Garden - Growing Flowers
Lots of information for growing flowers including planning the basics, visiting
the nursery, planting dry run, planting flowers, maintaining flowers, and
preparing for winter.
A Guide to
Edible Flowers
CARNATIONS
To use the surprisingly sweet petals in desserts, cut them away from the bitter
white base of the flower. Add dried petals to cake batter or sprinkle fresh
minced petals over a bowl of berries.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS
Cut the petals from the base of the flower and dry them is a low oven until
they are crunchy but still colorful. They have a strong, piquant flavor. Use
them as a colorful herb in chowders and egg dishes.
DAY LILIES
These often show ip in Oriental dishes. Harvest the blossoms you plan to eat
the day after they bloom since they will become bitter if they stay on the
plant any longer. Remove the center parts of the flowers and add them to
stirdried dishes moments before serving. In the spring, gather shoots two or
three inches tall and use as a substitute for asparagus.
GARDENIAS
Prized for their tender sweet petals, gardenias make delightful dessert
fritters.
Make a fritter batter by mixing one egg yolk with two-thirds of a cup of
cold water, three-quarters of a cup of flour, and a dash of brandy if you like.
Remove the petals from the gardenia, dip into the batter, and deep- fry until
golden brown. Sprinkle the fritters with powdered sugar and serve with ice
cream.
GLADIOLAS
If you close your eyes and nibble on one, a glad will taste vaquely like
lettuce.
Remove the center parts of the flower and toss a few whole blossoms into
green salads for a startling dash of color.
LILACS
Lilac flowerets make a charming decoration when they are candied.
Separate the individual flowers and use tweezers to dip each one into a
beaten egg white. Then dip the flower into finely granulated sugar and set it
aside to dry. Use the candied flowers to decorate cakes and petit fours.
If you want the flowers to last for more than two days, dip them into
gumarabic instead of egg white.
MARIGOLDS
Their sharp taste resembles saffron.
Cut the petals off the flower and dry them in a low oven. Sprinkle the
crushed petals on cheese dishes,omelets, and rice.
NASTURTIUMS
Showy flowers from this container garden favorite look lovely floating in a
tureen of soup of a bowl of summer punch. Use them to dress up green salads or
for bright garnishes with string beans.
PANSIES
Although they don't have much flavor, pansies look dramatic frozen into ice
cubes for drinks or ice rings for punch. To make a gelatin salad more
memorable, try putting pansies face down in the mold before adding gelatin.
ROSES
Roses are among the most famous edible flowers. Use two quarts of petals from
the most fragrant roses you can find to make rose jelly. Pour one quart of hot
apple juice over the blossoms and let them steep.
Strain the liquid, add four cups sugar and three tablespoons lemon juice
and cook until the liquid sheets off a wooden spoon.
Pour the jelly into sterile jars and seal with paraffin.
All roses are edible, with the flavor being more pronounced in the darker
varieties, so don't be afraid to sample the petals, as they make an enjoyable
nibble. You might even like to brighten up a salad by sprinkling a few of the
fragrant red petals over the top. This is a good way to sample the flavor of
roses, and a single taste will encourage you to try a few of these dishes.
Rosebud Pickles:
In early spring, gather the firm young rose buds. Dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 4
cups of white vinegar over low heat.
Fill a quart jar with the washed rose buds, pour the vinegar mixture over
them, seal, and serve after 15 days.
Rose Water:
A favorite condiment in the Orient, where it is used like catsup, and as it is
an essential part of cooking with roses, you'll want to make some.
You'll need a stone or glassware cooking vessel with a sharply conical lid.
Sit a small copper pan in this vessel to catch the rose water you are going
to distill. Pour 1 quart of water around the copper pan and add 2 quarts of
rose petals.
Turn the conical lid upside down and fill it with cold water. Now place the
cooking vessel over medium heat. As the steam begins to rise and makes contact
with the inverted, water-filled top, it will condense and run to the center,
where it will drip into the copper pan waiting to catch it. If the water in the
lid grows warm, replace it with fresh, cold water. In about 30 minutes you will
have about a pint of rose water.
Rosewater Syrup:
Boil together 1/2 cup of water, 2 cups sugar, and 1 cup light corn syrup. Let
this cool and stir in 3 tbsp of the rose water.
Rose Jelly:
Simmer 1 quart of the petals in 2 cups of apple juice for 15 minutes, then
cover and let it stand 15 minutes longer. Strain out the petals, add 3 1/2 cups
of sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp rose water.
Return to the heat and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly, then add
1/2 bottle of Certo. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, then remove
from the heat, skim off the foam and pour into sterilized jelly glasses.
TULIPS
Spring's darling tastes a little like fresh baby peas.
Try removing the center parts of the flower and filing the empty cups with
luncheon salad or hors d'oeuvres dip.
VIOLETS
They can, of course, be candied, but they are also a dainty addition to an
early spring salad. Both leaves and flowers are edible.
Buy Gardening Posters and Prints
A Complete
List of Edible Flowers
- Acacia blossoms
- Apple blossoms
- Arugala
- Bachelor buttons(_Centuarea_, cornflower)
- Banana blossoms
- Basil
- Beebalm(_Monarda didyma_)
- Borage(alkanet, anchusa)
- Burnet(salad burnet, pimpinella)
- Calendula
- Catnip
- Cattail(_Typha latifolia_)
- Chamomile(_Matricaria recutita_)
- Chickweed(_Stellaria media_)
- Chicory(succory)
- Chives
- Chrysanthemum
- Cclary
- Clover, red (_Trifolium pratense_)
- Coriander
- Cowslip(_Primula veris_)
- Crab apple(_Malus pumila_)
- Daisy
- Dandelion
- Daylily(_Hemerocallis_ species)
- Dill
- Elder flower(_Sambucus canadensis_, _S. caerulea_)
- English daisy
- Fennel
- Forget-me-not(_Myosotis scorpioides_ or _M. sylvatica_)
- Fuchsia
- Gillyflowers(_Dianthus caryophyllus_, _D. plumarius_, clove pink)
- Gladiolus(_Gladiolus_ species)
- Hawthorn(_Crataegus_ species)
- Hibiscus
- Hollyhock
- Honeysuckle
- Hyssop
- Impatiens
- Johnny-jump-up(_Viola tricolor_)
- Lavender
- Llemon balm(_Melissa officinalis_)
- lemon blossoms
- Lemon verbena(_Aloysia triphylla_)
- Lilac
- Lime flowers
- Mallow(_Malva_ species, marshmallow)
- Marigold
- Marjoram(_Origanum majorana_)
- Mint
- Mullein(_Verbascum_ species)
- Mustard
- Nasturtium
- Orange flowers
- Oregano
- Pansies
- Passionflower(_Passiflora_ species)
- Peach blossoms
- Peony(_Paeonia_ species)
- Petunia (_Petunia hybrida_)
- Pineapple sage
- Plum blossoms
- Primrose(_Primula vulgaris_)
- Quince blossoms
- Redbud (Flowering Judas, cercis)
- Redwood sorrel
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Safflower (_Carthamus tinctorius_)
- Crocus (_Colchicum autumnale_)
- Saffron
- Sage
- Scented geranium
- Snapdragon
- Squash, pumpkin, zucchini blossoms
- Sunflower buds
- Thistle
- Thyme
- Tiger Lily
- Tulips
- Viola (_Viola cornuta_)
- Violet
- Wild onion
- Woodruff, sweet (_Galium odoratum_)
- Yarrow
- Yucca
