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Many flowers are edible. Nothing dresses up a salad, a charcuterie board, or cake like flowers. Some tasty blooms are more well-known than others, but with many varieties to choose from you’ll have no trouble surprising guests with a lovely homegrown treat. Time to set the table because here at MountainRose, we have some old favorites and some new varieties to try! I am going to list a few for sale but as a rule, if you eat the fruit then there’s a good chance you can eat the bloom.

Alyssum- The leaves and flowers of sweet alyssum have a pungent flavor, like kale. Try adding them to salads, cold soups or even omelets.

Amaranthus-The leaves of Celosia (think cockscomb) are very nutritious, like spinach. The young leaves also make nice salad greens.

Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila sp.)- White or pink flowers that have a mild, slightly sweet flavor, perfect for dessert garnishes.

Dahlia – All dahlia flowers and tubers are edible. Flavors range from water chestnut and spicy apple to carrot.

Hibiscus – Add strips of vibrant colored petals to fruit salads.

Hollyhock – The flowers can be crystalized and used to decorate cakes and mousses or try mixing them with salad leaves for a stunning dish. Before eating, remove the center stamen and any green bits.

Korean Mint-Both flowers and leaves have a delicate, fragrant taste. They are ideal for adding to cakes for a hint of anise flavor.

Mexican Marigold or Mint- Aromatic leaves are a substitute for French tarragon. Sweet licorice flavor brightens salads and main dishes. The edible, golden-yellow flowers bloom all summer.

Nasturtium – Tasting peppery, like watercress, these make a lovely salad addition.

Pansy – Mild and fresh-tasting, they’re great in a green salad or as a garnish. They can be crystallized and used to decorate cakes, cookies, or creamy desserts.

Sunflower– The mild nutty taste makes the petals good in salads or stir fries.

Here are a few herbs that are also good choices:  lavender, chives, basil, oregano, rosemary, and sage.

Over 75% of our agricultural crops depend on pollinators. Pollinators include more than just butterflies and honeybees. An assortment of wild bees, beetles, moths, bats, wasps, birds, flies, and other insects all play an important role in pollinating plants. We need to do what we can to support them.

Native plants co-evolved with native insects, birds, and wildlife. Native plants in your garden are best when possible. Clusters of plants are easier for the pollinators to spot and feed on than single individual plantings. Group flowering plants together and include different species if possible. It’s important to provide food throughout the entire growing season with plants that bloom from spring to fall.

The following are some flowers we have in the green house to support pollinators, some native and some more domesticated. Alyssum, black-eyed Susan’s, calendula, coneflowers, feverfew (aster family), lobelia, marigold, milkweed, monarda (bee balm), nasturtium, pansies, phlox, sunflowers, and zinnia are just a few pollinator favorites.

We also have some herbs to flower now and later in the season. Pollinators are attracted to the flowers of basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, sage, and verbena. Butterfly and moth larvae require non-flowering plant parts like leaves of dill, parsley, and milkweed. In addition to many of the plants listed above, hummingbirds also enjoy petunias, and columbines which we also have.

Water is provided in a variety of ways, like water drops on plants, birdbaths, and shallow dishes of stones. Keep the dish of stones filled with water, especially during the heat of summer.

Regardless of the size of your garden, try some of the practices described above to attract and support pollinators in your area. Every little effort contributes to a lasting positive impact for our pollinators and for us!

One of the most frequently asked question in the greenhouse is, “What do you have that deer will not eat?

Many methods are often used to keep deer away from your plants, but most of these solutions are ineffective, expensive, or not distasteful enough to deter the deer. If it has become impossible to keep deer away from your plants, what you may want to do is to plant deer resistant plants. Some flowers, herbs, vegetables and trees are deer resistant.

Some herbs we have in the greenhouse this year that deer are unlikely to eat are basils, dill, lavender, oregano, ginger, chives, peppermint.  Some of the deer resistant flowers we have are African daisies, sweet alyssum, vinca, dusty miller, coneflower, marigolds, geraniums, rudbeckias, sunflowers, snapdragons, zinnias, yarrow, and moss rose. We also have hanging baskets with Chinese bellflower, Swedish ivy, and Joseph’s coat which are all deer resistant. In addition, many of these same plants are also great pollinator plants! 

Keep in mind that deer prefer to graze in the range from a person’s knees to chest.  Plants like hanging baskets or ground covers may escape the deer’s attention.  They don’t like strong scented (mints) or rough textured leaves (sunflowers). Remember, if hungry enough, they will eat things they don’t prefer like daylilies.

Plants need good companions to thrive. Except for growth and fruiting, plants are relatively idle objects. They are rooted in one spot and don’t seem to have much control over their environment. In fact, however, relationships between plants are varied – similar to relationships between people. In plant communities, certain plants support each other while others, well, just don’t get along. Plants, like people, compete for resources, space and nutrients!

Some Plants Bully Others. Certain plants grow rapidly, crowd others and take more than their fair share of water, sun and nutrients. Some exude toxins that retard plant growth or kill plants. A common example of this is the Black Walnut tree that produces hydro juglone. Other plants are upstanding citizens and do good by adding nutrients to the soil, drawing beneficial insects into the garden or by confusing insects in search of their host plants.

As a gardener, you’re both the mayor and the city planner for your garden city. By growing plants with good companions, you bring peace and prosperity to your town. Alternatively, the planting of disruptive plants can quickly bring your garden to ruins. (OR WEEDS)

Proper Spacing with Companion Planting. As with city planning, the way you lay out your vegetable garden is crucial. Avoid planting vegetables in large patches or long rows and interplant with flowers and herbs. Large groupings of one type of vegetable serve as a beacon to problematic pests. If you mix in flowers and herbs, it becomes more difficult for pests to find your veggies. The scent of flowers and herbs, as well as the change up in color, is thought to confuse pests. Certain flowers and herbs attract beneficial insects to your garden.

Three Sister Planting. Almost any article on companion planting references the Native American “Three Sister Planting”. This age-old grouping involves growing corn, beans and squash – often pumpkin – in the same area. As the corn stalks grow, beans naturally find support by climbing up the stalk. Beans, as all legumes, fix nitrogen in the soil, which supports the large nutritional needs of corn. Squash grows rapidly and the large squash leaves shade out weeds and serve as natural weed block. Good plant companions work in support of each other.

Many long-time gardeners swear that growing certain plants together improves flavor as well. While science hasn’t found support for some of the benefits of companion planting, there is support for the above information. Garden wisdom and experience supports these traditional beneficial plant companions.

Remember to include some flowers and herbs to repel bugs and pests in the garden. Marigolds are one of the most useful plants in the garden as an ally and we have plenty for sale, and a whole lot more, at MountainRose this year!