A crystal bowl full of fresh gourmet lettuce garnished with organic colorful flower petals makes a stunning summer picnic offering. Several herbs and flowers can be used to dress up a variety of salads, drinks and other foods for special festive occasions. Edible flowers are a delicacy and can be found at some supermarkets, where the pre-packaged petals are offered at premium prices. They are also sold at farmers markets by a few growers who specialize in edible flowers. The colorful petals of these flowers will make any ordinary salad into a feast for the eyes and the palate! It is very possible that you have some of these flowers already growing in your garden, window boxes or container gardens. If that’s the case, harvest the flowers early in the day, preferably early in the morning just after the dew has gone and only wash the flowers if necessary, as otherwise some of the fragrance and nectar may be removed. Keep the flowers in complete heads until just before you prepare the salad. If required, flowers can be stored in the fridge for just a little while. It goes without saying that when you eat your garden-grown flowers and herbs, to never use any chemicals and to always wash them quickly in water to remove dust. After washing and drying them in your salad spinner, you may keep them fresh and crisp inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Always add them to your dishes at the last minute and use them sparingly to keep it very special.

Let me walk you through the edible colorful flower petal garden. Following is a list of six of the most favorite, easy-to-grow flowering plants with edible petals.

1. Borago officinales. Borage is a native European herb with stunning blue star-shaped flowers. Its small tender leaves with its cucumber-like flavor are delicious in salads, cold drinks, fish sauces or can be cooked like spinach and even pickled. The blue flowers look lovely as a garnish in punches and other iced drinks and on top of cakes. By placing a flower inside your ice cube tray when you start a new batch, use the flowered-ice cube later on in fruit juices.

Once you have this plant in your garden, it spontaneously re-seeds. The flower stems also look great in a mixed flower bouquet.

2. Calendula officinalis. Pot marigold was known in Europe as a “pot herb,” a vegetable to be used in the cooking pot. Its lovely bright orange-yellow double blooms contain numerous tiny petals that add color and flavor to seafood, soups, salads, rice and egg dishes.

3. Marigold “Tagetes.” The fresh (or dried) yellow petals give a subtle flavor and golden color to seafood, soups, stews, puddings, rice and omelets. After softening in hot milk, they can be added to bread, biscuits and cakes.

4. Monarda didyma. Bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea are all common names for this eastern North American native perennial. Its leaves have a strong, pleasant blend of mint, citrus and basil and makes a delicious herbal tea. Flower petals can be added to vegetable and fruit salads. Its long-tubular flowers are also treasured by hummingbirds. There are many hybrids to choose from with flower colors from scarlet, pink to dark red and even lavender.

5. Nasturtium “Tropaeolum majus.” Fresh leaves, flowers and unripe seedpods have a peppery flavor similar to watercress. Red or golden blooms lend a special flavor to stews, soups, seafood and salads and provides stunning garnishes to hors d’oeuvres. Can also be combined with soft cream cheese on a bagel or in a cheese and tomato sandwich.

6. Viola tricolor. Johnny-jump-up makes a lovely edible garnish to cheese and fruit trays, as well as cake decoration or ice cream dessert for a special celebration. The blue-purple flowers add flavor and beauty to vegetable and fruit salads, sauces and custards.

Other edible flowers or petals are: young squash blossoms, daylilies, roses, honeysuckle, German chamomile flowers “Matricaria” and flowers from thyme and cilantro.

At your next private party with sticky finger foods or messy shellfish on the menu, surprise your guests with an old fashioned fingerbowl. Add a little lemon juice to a crystal bowl of cool water, with floating leaves of scented geraniums, mint, lemon verbena or other sweet herbs or flowers. Your guests will be delighted!

Tineke Wilders is a freelance garden writer. A native of The Netherlands and a Canadian, she is a graduate of both the Michigan and the southern California Master Gardener programs and has written about the world of plants, flowers and nature for over 30 years. She can be reached at tinekegardens@juno.com