Tips for your garden

Flower petals can add colour, flavour and texture to savoury and sweet dishes as well as cordials, oils and butters. Accurate identification of edible flower varieties is essential – so if you are in any doubt, don’t eat!

Home-grown plants, free from pesticides and soiling by pets, are best. Flowering plants purchased from a shop or garden centre should be grown on for at least three months to reduce the risk of pesticide residues and only harvested after subsequent flowerings.

Edible varieties include: bergamot; chrysanthemum; elderflower; hibiscus; lavender; nasturtium; pot marigold; primrose; rose and sunflower. Learn more at: www.rhs.org.uk.