Swanky fresh organic restaurants are famous for their creative and healthy dishes decorated with edible flowers.  These aren't traditional garnishes that look great but are rarely eaten.  Edible flowers are really edible!  They add vivid color and gentle flavor to your salad, appetizers and main dishes.   They make you look like a real epicurian when you get creative with color.

When you plant your veggies, don't forget to include one or two edible flower plants to incorporate beauty and zest into your kitchen creations.  These options do best early in the season when temperatures are cool, but they may perform all summer long in the temperate north.

These smallest of the viola clan offer you flowers you can use whole so the little faces become part of your meal and kids love to eat 'em!

Violas have been kitchen fare for centuries.  During the Middle Ages, before breeders advanced the small flowers known as Johnny Jump Ups to the larger forms, these vigorous small plants were all the rage.  In those days spring salads of violas and onions were famous British castle fare. Yes, they ate the plant too, but today I just snip the flowers with scissors to add blue and purple and yellow to my spring greens.

Pot marigolds come and come again if you promptly cut the flowers before they fade to use in the kitchen.  Don't let them go to seed or they slow down.

The pot marigold of Europe, from genus Calendula are the old fashioned trick for turning cheddar cheese yellow.  The petals of these flowers drizzled over a freshly grilled steak or added to a salad give instant impact.  Note: Do not confuse these cool season lovers with the hot zone annual marigolds, genus Tagetes.