Best Edible Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

Flowers are best known for their decorative uses, but the interesting fact is that they can also appear right on your plate, in an equally delicious and tasteful way.

Sounds interesting, huh?

In today’s list, I am going to share with you the 10 best edible flowers to grow in your garden that all have unique flavors while adding a splash of color to your plate.

Lilac (Syringa Vulgaris)

How it tastes:

Lilac’s flavor varies from plant to plant, but in general, it is fragrant with faint citrus notes with floral, pungent overtones. It also tastes slightly bitter, along with mild astringency if eaten freshly.

Lilacs are best to make salads.

Best conditions to grow:

The plant requires at least 6 hours of sunlight exposure every day for strong bloom. It grows best in nutritious, well-drained, humus-rich soil at a pH near 7.0.

The required space between two lilac bushes is 5’ to 15’ apart, based on the variety.

Best grown in large-size gardens.

Violets

How it tastes:

Violets have a sweet taste and bold fragrance of wild nature. They contain a lot of vitamin C and vitamin A, which are good for your health.

The flower is commonly used as a tea, an ingredient for salads, syrups, grilled recipes, or cooling drinks.

Best conditions to grow:

Violets are easy to grow, care for, and bloom all year round.

They grow best in temperature ranges from 59 to 80 degrees F, require at least 6 hours of sunlight exposure, high humidity conditions, and loose, aerated, well-drained soil.

Special notes: Only yellow violets aren’t editable because they can cause harmful problems to the human body.

Chamomiles

How it tastes:

Chamomiles add a slightly sweet and rustic flavor when mixed with other foods. The flowers are usually used after being dried, but they can actually be eaten raw.

Aside from being used as tea, chamomiles can be used to make syrups or flavor enhancers for cakes, smoothies, or desserts.

Best conditions to grow:

Sandy, well-drained soil at a pH of 7.0. The appropriate distance between two chamomile plants is 6-12 inches.

Best grown in medium- to large-sized gardens.

Pansies

How it tastes:

Pansies have a mild aroma similar to mint, making them perfect for salads and summer fruity or floral flavored cocktails.

Best conditions to grow:

The plant requires well-drained soil and at least 6 hours of sunlight exposure.

Best grown in pots, earth ground, or balconies.

Sages

How it tastes:

Sage flowers have a warm, slightly spicy taste, mixed with mild bitterness and a wild, fresh aroma.

This flower is known for its great benefits in the treatment of gout, aiding digestion, and fighting inflammation, ulcers, and diarrhea.

They are best used as a tea, an extract, or essential oil.

Best conditions to grow:

Sage prefers nitrogen-rich clay and grows well in acidic to slightly alkaline soils at the pH range of 5.6 - 7.8, but preferably at a pH of 6 - 6.5.

It is extremely drought-tolerant, so you don't need to water the plant so often, just when the soil is too dry.

Marjoram Flowers

How it tastes:

Marjoram flowers are often used as tea, which tastes similar to oregano but is slightly sweeter.

They provide a lot of health benefits, such as stimulating the salivary glands thereby supporting digestion, reducing constipation, treating diarrhea and cramps.

Best conditions to grow:

The plant is suitable for a variety of weather conditions. The best soil composition is alum, loose, and high moisture.

Roses

Try Apothecary rose, Rosa rugosa alba, and Damask roses. In general, roses with a pleasing fragrance are editable.

How it tastes:

Rose petals taste delicate and sweet like fruit. They can be used in a wide variety of dishes and drinks, from soups, salads to teas, jams, cakes, and desserts.

Best conditions to grow:

Rose is a light-loving plant. The best conditions for them to grow should be airy with sunlight exposure from 6 to 8 hours a day.

Water Lily

How it tastes:

Aside from a faint, gentle fragrance, the water lily is extremely crunchy and often eaten popped, in which it has a barley-like taste with hints of pepper.

The flower also brings many useful medicinal values to the human body if used properly, such as a sedative effect, respiratory system support, antispasmodic, the ability to quickly stop bleeding, and diuretic effects.

Best conditions to grow:

They are considered a fairly easy plant to grow with the ability to grow and develop well in ponds and lakes.

Dandelion

How it tastes:

Dandelion flowers have a honey-like flavor. Mature blossoms might taste slightly bitter.

It is rich in vitamin A, which is good for skin, eyesight, and strengthening immunity. It’s also used as tea, the main ingredient of medicines or in the production of cosmetics.

Best conditions to grow:

Dandelion can grow in any soil type, but best in well-drained soils. They also love full sun.

Dill Flowers

How it tastes:

Dill flowers have a similar taste to licorice with pleasant fragrance.

The flower stalks are high in fiber, along with high levels of antioxidants that help slow down the aging process, which is very beneficial to human health.

Best conditions to grow:

Dills require a fertilized, high-humidity, and well-drained soil. They prefer full sun.

Lavenders

How it tastes:

Lavenders have a pungent floral flavor and aroma, with subtle notes of mints, earthiness, and herbaceousness.

The taste will be slightly changed between varieties. Some give off additional undertones of woodiness, smoke, or fruit.

Best conditions to grow:

Lavenders mostly require moderately fertilized, well-drained, and neutral to slightly alkaline soil. They prefer full sun.

Conclusion

That’s all for my list of the 10 best edible flowers to grow in your garden. Most of them can be used as a tea, an ingredient in some baking and grilling recipes, or added to dips or sauces as a beautiful garnish.

Remember to wash them thoroughly before eating raw or preparing them.

Thanks for reading!