The Edible Flower Garden. Rosalind Creasy

watering. It is a heavy feeder, so fertilize with fish emulsion every two weeks during the growing season. When the plants are about to flower, feed them cottonseed meal or some other form of phosphorus. They grow best in temperatures of 60°F at night and 80°F during the day. Harvest the flowers just as they open.

      How to prepare: Use the flowers to infuse simple syrups or impart their lovely perfume to tea. Use the syrup as a wonderful base for sorbets or ice creams or pour it over melons, figs, or poached pears.

      Arugula flowers

      ARUGULA

      Eruca vesicaria

      ARUGULA FLOWERS ARE NUTTY and taste a bit like horseradish. Mellow and delightful, these flowers can be used in any dish that calls for arugula.

      How to grow: Arugula is grown for its leaves; the flowers are a bonus. These cool-weather plants can be enjoyed in early spring and again in the fall. The plants are short-lived; they get quite spicy and go to flower readily in hot weather. Broadcast the seeds over rich soil in a sunny area and lightly cover them with soil, or start them in flats indoors. Keep arugula well watered and fertilize lightly. Arugula has few pest and disease problems. Harvest individual leaves when the plants are at least 4 inches tall, and the flowers as they appear. Arugula flowers attract beneficial insects, so I keep plants blooming for much of the spring. If allowed to go to seed, arugula reseeds itself readily in your garden.

      How to prepare: Long after the leaves have become too strong-tasting to use, the flowers can still be sprinkled over green or pasta salads, slivered fennel, carpaccio, frittatas, and pizzas; tucked into sandwiches filled with tomatoes or grilled mushrooms and eggplants; minced and added to a soft cheese; and used to garnish chilled tomato soup and vegetables prepared with olive oil and garlic in the Italian manner.

      'Lamabata' monarda (above), 'Cambridge Scarlet' (left and inset)

      BEE BALM

      (Monarda, Oswego tea)

      Monarda didyma, M. citriodora

      BEE BALM, ALSO CALLED monarda, is an exuberant plant that is native to eastern North America. In earlier times Native Americans, and later the early settlers, used it to make tea.

      How to grow: Bee balm produces 3-inch shaggy flowers over much of the summer. Of all the many varieties, the red cultivars seem to be the tastiest: 'Cambridge Scarlet,' 'Adam,' and 'Firecracker.' An annual monarda, 'Lamabata,' has lavender flowers and spicy petals that can be used sparingly in savory dishes, such as a green salad or cream soup, and as a garnish. Obtain monarda plants from local nurseries and mail-order firms that specialize in perennials.

      Bee balm is a hardy, easy-to-grow perennial that can get to 4 feet tall. Start it with divisions planted in sun or partial shade, in moist soil. Mildew is a common problem in many climates. Harvest flowers as they appear in summer.

      How to prepare: The flowers of the red varieties of bee balm have a fairly strong, spicy, minty taste. They are most commonly used along with the leaves to make herbal tea. Add the petals to teas and salads; sprinkle them over red snapper or other mild fish; include them in dishes with apricots, peaches, and plums; use them in the punch bowl and in fruit salads or to garnish cold drinks; or add them to apple jelly and baked goods such as pound cake.

      TUBEROUS BEGONIAS

      Begonia X tuberhybridia

      THESE SHOWY FLOWERS are sensational in the garden and on the table.

      How to grow: Spectacular puffs of orange, yellow, white, pink, or red, tuberous begonia flowers range in size from 2 to 4 inches across. To ensure safe eating, either grow them without chemicals or buy chemicals that are registered for edible plants. In some climates tuberous begonias are prone to mildew, but in many cool-summer areas these plants grow with ease. Start begonia tubers in flats or pots in the spring in rich, moist, well-draining potting soil. When the plants are 3 inches high, replant them in the garden or in containers. They need a slightly acidic soil, filtered sun, and constant moisture and feeding. Dig up the tubers in late fall, knock off the dead and dying stalks, and store the tubers in a cool, dry, frost-free place. Do not lift the tubers until the foliage turns yellow.

      How to prepare: The flowers of most tuberous begonias have a delicious, light, lemon taste and a crisp texture. Taste them before using them to make sure they are not astringent. Use sliced petals in salads and tea sandwiches. Dip whole petals in flavored yogurt and serve as an appetizer that is sure to spark a conversation. Garnish a fish plate or a fruit or green salad with begonia petals, or use them as a spectacular garnish on an appetizer platter for a buffet.

      Tuberous begonias come in a feast of colors.

      Borage flowers (above) are easy to harvest.

      BORAGE

      Borago officinalis

      THIS HERB, NATIVE TO EUROPE and Africa, has a slight cucumber flavor. The special blue star-shaped flowers are lovely on salads and in cold drinks.

      How to grow: An easily grown summer annual that sometimes acts like a biennial, borage grows to about 2 feet and has hairy gray leaves and half-inch star-shaped deep blue flowers. Borage is easily started from seeds planted in average soil and in full sun in the spring after any threat of frost is over. Harvest young leaves once the plants are established, and flowers anytime they appear. Borage often reseeds itself.