{"id":15276,"date":"2016-11-08T07:30:55","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T20:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/?p=15276"},"modified":"2017-01-06T21:55:23","modified_gmt":"2017-01-06T10:55:23","slug":"true-spring-flowers-edible-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/true-spring-flowers-edible-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"true spring flowers in the edible garden"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

True Spring and sleepy winter buds have burst open in a puff of pollen. \t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n

I<\/fancyletter> may have been knocked off my feet with a sneaky spring cold, but this hasn’t dampened by enthusiasm for the season. Although I’m itching to transplant my seedlings, this forced time of rest and reflection isn’t so bad when there is a seat in the sun and so much to observe in just one square metre. Our garden is host to a delightful barter of nectar for aphid control with a mass of hoverflies. In the food forest<\/a> the air is laden with apple blossom petals falling in snowy drifts and the trees are alive with the buzzing of bees. The Melbourne Wurundjeri calendar has 6 seasons and this is one of plenty.<\/p>\n

Eyes itchy with pollen haven’t ruined my spring bike rides, the ravenous awakening of snails and slugs are a challenge rather than a cause of despair. Warmer mornings and stepping out of the office into sunlit evenings are indeed a recipe for sparkly eyes and spirits. Even my homemade kombucha is thrilled, its weak winter fizz substituted with an almost volcanic effervescence. My fragile winter attitude has been composted.<\/p>\n

What is really exciting is that all those flowers promise not only momentary fragrance and beauty but delicious fruit. It’s a beginning that is not only glorious for what it is but what it will be. So I decided to try and keep that feeling going all year. The challenge? A year of flowers in the edible garden. The end game is to have as much colour and joy as I can coax into life in winter as I can. The rules only flowers from a plant that is at least partly edible, bonus points if the flowers can be eaten. I’ll try and think of some recipes to post.<\/p>\n

I’m starting with the easiest season, it’s going to get harder from here on out so I better start planning for the oven of summer and darkness of winter. Any suggestions for winter flowers or flowery treats would be awesome guys.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

\n

Fruit & vegetable flowers<\/h4>\n

S<\/fancyletter>ome veg flowers are particularly surprising such as the bright red rhubarb buds and I always allow a few radishes to go to seed as their masses of pink or white flowers are a delight.<\/p>\n

If you struggle with pests like aphids you might try letting a few of your affected vegetables go to seed. Their nectar will attract beneficial insects which will lay their eggs on nearby plants. If all goes to plan their carnivorous larvae will take care of the pests.<\/p>\n

Checkout those fabulous stripey pepino flowers! Which one is your favourite?
\n<\/section>\n

\"Pepino\"
Pepino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Kale
Kale flower<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Rhubarb
Rhubarb flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n
\"Blackberry\"
Blackberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Tomato\"
Tomato<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Strawberry\"
Strawberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Blueberry\"
Blueberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Celery\"
Celery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Broccoli\"
Broccoli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Elderflower\"
Elderflower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mizuna\"
Mizuna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mandarin\"
Mandarin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n
\"Lemon\"
Lemon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Onion\"
Onion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Native
Native raspberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Orange\"
Orange<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Radish\"
Radish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Red
Red pak choy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Silvanberry\"
Silvanberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sorrel\"
Sorrel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Spring
Spring onion<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n
\"Asparagus\"
Asparagus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Cumquat\"
Cumquat<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

\"Horseradish\"
Horseradish<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n
\n
\"Serviceberry
Serviceberry (Amelanchier)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Alpine
Alpine strawberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Apple
Apple blossom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chilli
Chilli \/ capsicum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Cape
Cape gooseberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Brussels
Brussels Sprout<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Broccoli\"
Broccoli<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Globe
Globe Artichoke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garlic\"
Garlic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mizuna
Mizuna red<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Medlar\"
Medlar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rocket
Rocket flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Raspberry
Raspberry flower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Olive\"
Olive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Mulberry\"
Mulberry<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n
\"Onion\"
Onion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Passionfruit\"
Passionfruit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Culinary flowers<\/h4>\n

P<\/fancyletter>articulary beloved by bees at the moment I love all the beautiful purple flowers on the common sage and chives.<\/p>\n

\"Coriander\"
Coriander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Fenugreek\"
Fenugreek<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Bay
Bay tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Thyme\"
Thyme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Thyme\"
Thyme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n
\n
\"Sage\"
Sage<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Chives
Chives & chamomile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chives\"
Chives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chamomile\"
Chamomile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Thyme\"
Thyme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Thyme\"
Thyme<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n
\n

Medicinal & edible<\/h4>\n

B<\/fancyletter>rushing up against sweet violets produces the most intoxicating smell, and they make a beautiful cake topper.
\n<\/section>\n

\"Aquilegia
Aquilegia – granny’s bonnet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"White
White clover<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Pink
Pink lawn daisy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Daylily\"
Daylily<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Golden
Golden feverfew<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Spanish
Spanish lavender<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Marigold\"
Marigold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Marigold\"
Marigold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nasturtium\"
Nasturtium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nasturtiums\"
Nasturtiums<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pansies\"
Pansies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pansy\"
Pansy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Peppermint
Peppermint pelargonium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rosa
Rosa rugosa (rosehips)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Sweet
Sweet Violet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Tree
Tree marigold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Catmint\"
Catmint<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n
\"Borage
Borage blue and white<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Scented
Scented pelargonium<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Santolina\"
Santolina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Red
Red clover and blue borage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Iris
Iris germanica (orris root)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lawn
Lawn daisies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pineapple
Pineapple sage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Catmint
Catmint white<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Borage
Borage and brassica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lavender
Lavender and santolina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"French
French lavender<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Daylilies\"
Daylilies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Comfrey\"
Comfrey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n
\"Borage
Borage and red clover<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\"Green
Green santolina and curry plant<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n
\"Sage
Sage & comfrey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Dyer's
Dyer’s woad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Hyssop\"
Hyssop<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

True Spring and sleepy winter buds have burst open in a puff of pollen. I may have been knocked off my feet with a sneaky spring cold, but this hasn’t dampened by enthusiasm for the season. Although I’m itching to transplant my seedlings, this forced time of rest and reflection isn’t so bad when there […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"true spring flowers in the edible garden","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[160,305],"class_list":["post-15276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-garden","tag-flowers","tag-true-spring"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/sage-chamomile.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4l1F7-3Yo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15276"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15433,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15276\/revisions\/15433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thedesertecho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}