5 Edible Garden Flowers and Plants

By Jessica Hester
Dorling Kindersley/ Getty Images
Put together a fresh salad or meal from flowers and plants you can eat from your garden.
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Taste Buds

Alexandra Grablewski

These plants aren't just decorative -- they're edible! Add them to your family's organic, pesticide-free garden after the last frost to sprout some delicious d?cor. Just be sure to remind kids not to eat from other people's gardens, and always research plants before chowing down.

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Nasturtiums

iStockphoto

These trailing plants look great around the border of a garden bed or hanging in a basket. Harvest the petals to add a peppery zest to a salad, pasta, or stir-fry.

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Red Russian Kale

Michael P Gadomski/ Getty Images

These frilly leaves add texture in containers flanking a front door. Tender young leaves are great in salads or as a garnish; try using them in place of parsley in dishes.

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Lemon Gem Marigolds

iStockphoto

These cheerful flowers are welcoming when potted with petunias or zinnias on the porch. Use the petals for a citrusy zing in baked goods.

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Swiss Chard

Visuals Unlimited, Inc./Inga Spence/ Getty

Colorful stems make this plant a standout in the garden, plus you can saut? the nutrient-rich stems and leaves for a plate packed with vitamin K.

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Carnations

Dorling Kindersley/ Getty Images

These blooms will spice up rock gardens, and the petals (not stems or leaves) of some types can flavor gelatin-based desserts.

Originally published in the June 2012 issue of Parents magazine.

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