Taste Buds

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 13, 2008

GINA CRANSON

I find our vegie patch to be incredibly easy on

the eye but some gardeners eschew homegrown

fruit and vegetables in favour of

flowers for a more dazzling display of colour.

Well, petals, you can have it both ways.

The nasturtium does not occupy the fl oral

high ground of say, the rose, but its colourful

contribution to the garden and indeed to the

dinner plate should not be underestimated.

Its red, yellow or orange petals offer a visual

pick-me-up and its regarded as the perfect

plant to incorporate in a childs garden because

it grows quickly with a minimum of fuss from

big seeds that can be handled with ease, and

both flowers and leaves  which are rich

in vitamin C  can be eaten.

Nasturtiums make a salad look

ever so enticing and their

peppery flavour really adds

something special to the mix

of greens and a splash of

your favourite dressing.

Combine some blossoms

and leaves and a clove of

garlic in a jar, fill it with

vinegar and leave it sit for

a month and youll get

a fabulous nasturtium

vinegar thats full of

character and colour.

The zucchini is one of

my favourite vegetables

and it has to be said that

the zucchini fl ower aint

just another pretty face.

The bright yellow fl owers,

bold and beautiful among those giant leaves,

are sensational stuffed with parmesan, onions

and mushrooms or eggplant, garlic and herbs

and deep-fried after coating with a little

cornfl our.

A Lynne Mullins suggestion thats atop my todo

list is steaming fresh zucchini fl owers fi lled

with crab meat, coriander and chilli.

The globe artichoke, a vegetarian pizzas piece

de resistance and a relative of the thistle, is the

bud of a brilliant lilac-blue fl ower with arching

silver leaves.

Until recent times Id been happy to source my

artichoke hearts from the deli, or dare I say it,

a tin, but having marvelled at the plants star

status in a friends garden, I too intend to

grow my own.

Seeds germinate easily in early

summer and when you spot

two good leaves on the

seedlings, pick them

out and transfer to

individual pots in part

shade.

If given enough

water and plenty of wellrotted

manure, youll enjoy a

profusion of buds, which are

best harvested when the stem

is still pliable.

Other floral considerations

for your food garden

should include rose petals,

basil, broccoli, lavender and

marigolds.

gcranson@theherald.com.au

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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