When I first started learning about edible flowers, it felt like unlocking a secret garden within my own kitchen. I’d always admired how flowers looked tucked into a bouquet or trailing down a garden fence, but the idea of sprinkling petals onto desserts or steeping them into tea? That felt like a whole new kind of magic.

These days, I keep a small section of my garden just for edible blooms. It’s not fancy, just a mix of herbs and flowers tucked into wooden beds, but it’s become one of my favorite things to tend. Picking a few blossoms in the morning, giving them a rinse, and tossing them onto a salad or tucking them into ice cubes feels like a little ritual.

Here are some of the edible flowers I’ve grown to love. Some are delicate and floral, others peppery or sweet, but they all add a little charm to any dish.

Edible Flowers I Love Using:

• Nasturtiums – bright and peppery, like arugula with attitude. So good in summer salads.
• Calendula – they’re basically sunshine petals. I love using them in teas or as a cheerful garnish.
• Chamomile – dainty and sweet, perfect for a calming tea or tucked into homemade honey.
• Pansies & Violas – mild-tasting and so pretty, especially on cakes and cookies.
• Lavender – a little goes a long way, but I adore it in shortbread or infused into milk.
• Borage – cucumber-flavored little stars. Try them in lemonade or frozen into ice cubes.
• Rose petals – floral and romantic (use only untreated ones!). I like them with vanilla or chocolate.
• Chive blossoms – lightly onion-y and pretty in savory dishes or herbal butters.
• Bee balm – minty, colorful, and lovely steeped into tea.
• Hibiscus – tart and punchy, especially good for making a deep red syrup or tea.

If you’re thinking of trying edible flowers for the first time, start with what you already grow or can find locally (and always make sure they haven’t been sprayed with anything). Even a few petals can make an everyday dish feel like something from a storybook.

Let me know if you try any, or if you have a favorite I should grow this year. I’m always adding to my little garden one bloom at a time.

🌿 With love,
Autumn