The other day we mentioned Cornwall’s Million Pound edible hedge project, and, we assume in response, the RHS updated their list of edible flowers, along with a Country Living article adding a few more on top.
We know that most garden owners are not breakfasting in the bushes, brunching off branches, or dining on their Dahlias.
You have yer flower beds for flowers & pretty shrubs, yer veg beds for veggies, hopefully some kitchen herbs near the kitchen door, maybe a fruit tree or two.
We enjoy knowing about the edible plants in our garden for two main reasons:
- To give the kids something fun to collect that keeps them interested in nature, and conveniently busy
- To delight guests with an unexpected garnish, salad, or perhaps a gift of some bottle or jar of preserved goodies, unobtainable in the shops
Even More Plants to Eat in Your Garden
Bulbs
Caution: don’t eat flower bulbs straight from the nursery, they may have fungicides on them
- Alliums (especially chives, A. schoenoprasum) – all parts of ornamental onions are edible, same as a normal onion, but the flavour may be inferior
- Lily (Lilium) – all parts
- Dahlia – tubers
- Camassia – bulbs
Annuals
- Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) – flowers, leaves, and seeds
- Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) – flowers
- Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum) – petals
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – buds and petals
- Decorative Pumpkins / Squashes (Cucurbita) – flowers only, the fruit is often poor quality or causes upset stomach
Shrubs
- Fuchsia – flowers and berries
- English Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia) – flowers
- Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) – berries
- Barberry – berries
- Japanese quince (Chaenomeles speiosa) – fruits
- Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) – flowers & fruit
Trees (Which are Also Fine Hedge Plants)
- Cherry plums (Prunus cerasifera) – fruits
- Crab apples (Malus sylvestris) – fruits
Herbaceous Perennials
- Day lily (Hemerocallis) – buds and flowers
- Tiger lily (Lilium leucanthemum var. tigrinum) – flowers
- Bergamot (Monarda) – leaves and flowers
- Alpine pinks (Dianthus) – flowers
- Sea kale (Crambe maritima) – shoots, leaves, flower buds, roots, and stems
- Garden lady’s-mantle (Alchemilla mollis) – leaves
- Cardoons (Cynara cardunculus) – stems
- Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) – petals
- Sweet violet (Viola odorata) – flowers
- Mint (Mentha spp) – flowers
- Dill (Anethum graveolens) – flowers
- Salad rocket (Eruca vescaria) – leaves