Flower Of The Day
Edible gardening is becoming more popular all the time. My own gardening style has drastically changed over the decades, I want something more than just beauty for my water investment. However, some folks have gone round the bend. They shun the aesthetic for the purely pragmatic. If you can't eat it, don't grow it seems to be the rule.
I like to include flowers in all my edible designs. Aside from gracing us with their beauty, flowers can draw pollinators. They can also draw beneficial insects. In addition, some flowers or their seeds are edible. These pretty little filigreed flowers are in riotous bloom in my garden right now, so I thought I would tell you about them.
The flower of the day is one of those bonus flowers. It is gorgeous. It is easy to grow. It is a terrific bee and butterfly plant. Added to all those desirable benefits, the seeds of this pretty little flower are edible.
The flower of the day is Nigella damascena. I love the name Nigella. If nothing else, it makes me think of one of my favorite chefs- Nigella Lawson, which makes me think of food, but not just any food- Turkish food, I love Turkish food, this little flower makes me think of Greece and Turkey, and Boza, ekmek, and Simit. Oh my, see how my mind works...one thing leads to another. The pleasures of travel, cuisine, and the garden are such splendid friends.
The common name of this precious little floral jewel is "Love in a Mist". I would grow it just for having such a delightful name alone. Once upon a time, it was a very popular cottage garden flower. In Victorian England it was often grown, and often given as a symbol of affection in nosegays. It is a very good cut flower. It is definitely a flower you don't see every day. I think it lends such an exotic touch to floral bouquets.
It is one of those flowers you will never find in a color pack. At least, I never have. But the good news is, it is very easy to start from seed. It comes in blues, purples, pinks all the way through pure white. The foliage is very ferny looking. It lends a lacy softness where it is grown. It grows 1-2' depending on variety.
This flower is very common this time of year in Greece and Turkey. It is very beautiful in its native habitat. It grows in lush drifts. It is such a soft and lacy contrast to some of the starkness of the hills. The pastels of its flowers provide a beautiful contrast to the oak and olives. In its native habitat it is in bloom now. This matches our own seasons and growth cycles. Greece and Turkey share our marvelous Mediterranean climate.
As nice as this flower is just for its beauty and benefit to the garden, it has another bonus in store for us. The seed of nigella is edible and is used in Greek, Turkish, and other cuisines of the near east. I love Turkish food. One of my favorite local restaurants was the Bird House on Hwy 101 in Encinitas. Unfortunately, due to the unexpected death of Papa, the restaurant recently closed. I was saddened terribly for their loss and the disappearance of one of my favorite haunts over nearly two decades.
The seed pods of Nigella are beautiful. They can be dried and used in preserved floral bouquets. The large airy capsule contains the delicious and nutritious black seeds used in ekmek and simit. There is nothing like this fluffy slipper bread fresh out of the oven, especially in winter accompanied by a warm glass of Boza with cinnamon chick peas on top. Sometimes food and memories of the garden can take you away...far away, even as far as Istanbul.
I like to include flowers in all my edible designs. Aside from gracing us with their beauty, flowers can draw pollinators. They can also draw beneficial insects. In addition, some flowers or their seeds are edible. These pretty little filigreed flowers are in riotous bloom in my garden right now, so I thought I would tell you about them.
The flower of the day is one of those bonus flowers. It is gorgeous. It is easy to grow. It is a terrific bee and butterfly plant. Added to all those desirable benefits, the seeds of this pretty little flower are edible.
The flower of the day is Nigella damascena. I love the name Nigella. If nothing else, it makes me think of one of my favorite chefs- Nigella Lawson, which makes me think of food, but not just any food- Turkish food, I love Turkish food, this little flower makes me think of Greece and Turkey, and Boza, ekmek, and Simit. Oh my, see how my mind works...one thing leads to another. The pleasures of travel, cuisine, and the garden are such splendid friends.
The common name of this precious little floral jewel is "Love in a Mist". I would grow it just for having such a delightful name alone. Once upon a time, it was a very popular cottage garden flower. In Victorian England it was often grown, and often given as a symbol of affection in nosegays. It is a very good cut flower. It is definitely a flower you don't see every day. I think it lends such an exotic touch to floral bouquets.
It is one of those flowers you will never find in a color pack. At least, I never have. But the good news is, it is very easy to start from seed. It comes in blues, purples, pinks all the way through pure white. The foliage is very ferny looking. It lends a lacy softness where it is grown. It grows 1-2' depending on variety.
This flower is very common this time of year in Greece and Turkey. It is very beautiful in its native habitat. It grows in lush drifts. It is such a soft and lacy contrast to some of the starkness of the hills. The pastels of its flowers provide a beautiful contrast to the oak and olives. In its native habitat it is in bloom now. This matches our own seasons and growth cycles. Greece and Turkey share our marvelous Mediterranean climate.
As nice as this flower is just for its beauty and benefit to the garden, it has another bonus in store for us. The seed of nigella is edible and is used in Greek, Turkish, and other cuisines of the near east. I love Turkish food. One of my favorite local restaurants was the Bird House on Hwy 101 in Encinitas. Unfortunately, due to the unexpected death of Papa, the restaurant recently closed. I was saddened terribly for their loss and the disappearance of one of my favorite haunts over nearly two decades.
The seed pods of Nigella are beautiful. They can be dried and used in preserved floral bouquets. The large airy capsule contains the delicious and nutritious black seeds used in ekmek and simit. There is nothing like this fluffy slipper bread fresh out of the oven, especially in winter accompanied by a warm glass of Boza with cinnamon chick peas on top. Sometimes food and memories of the garden can take you away...far away, even as far as Istanbul.
Comments
Post a Comment