The Best Kids Edible Flower Garden

Flowers are so friendly to a child. They seem to smile and bring laughter to a child’s soul. It’s like having a fairy garden where all the flowers are edible or something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Imagine their delight when you say that they get to plant an edible flower garden? Remember it is no different than telling our kids what berries they can and cannot eat.

What can kids do with the flowers?

• Salads can be made and cake batter or cookie dough.
• Children can garnish fruit salad, sorbet of even make finger sandwiches for a high noon tea.
• They can be used for garnishes on cakes and deserts.
• Jams, jellies and preserves can be made.
• You can even freeze flower petals in ice cubes and add it to a pitcher of lemonade.

Warning to parents

1. Flowers should never be eaten in large quantities and make sure that your child knows that only the flowers in her garden are edible.
2. If you have toxic or poisonous plants and flowers it may be better not to plant an edible flower garden unless you are willing to remove all the toxic and poisonous ones.
3. This may also be a better activity for older children so that you can explain the dangers of eating just any random flower that could be poisonous or toxic.
4. It all depends on you and your children.
5. I do not have a problem making a small plot of edible flowers for my daughter and educating her on what she can and cannot eat. But I would make certain that she would only eat flowers from the edible flower garden and no other and I would not have any dangerous plants or flowers in my yard.
6. Also make sure that all plants are organic, do not use any chemicals or pesticides on them.

Flowering plants and the parts that are edible.

• Carnations- blossoms and petals. Dianthus petals taste like clove and nutmeg.
• Roses- buds, petals. The cool thing about roses is that different roses have different flavors.
• Lavender- blossoms. Lavender is has a sweet flowery taste with hints of citrus.
• Violet- blossoms and leaves. Candy the blossoms by painting with egg white and sprinkling super fine sugar on them then lay on wax paper to dry. Great way to decorate cupcakes is with candied flower blossoms.
• Pansy- blossoms. Flower has a mild minty flavor.
• Nasturtium- blossoms and leaves. Slight peppery taste.

A child`s edible flower garden is a way for a child to to enter the world of nature and explore not only how some flowers are grown but how they taste. With safety precautions in place and an educating what flowers can and can not be eaten this is an adventure that a child and parent will enjoy.