Great Asian greens, flowers to add to edible gardens

There’s nothing more relaxing in summer and fall than venturing into the garden to harvest edible greens, herbs and flowers. In my garden, tomatoes, herbs, berries and citrus thrive tucked throughout the garden amongst roses and ornamental plants. This year, I’ve had the fun of planting more edible flowers and Asian greens, all promising vibrant colors and delicious flavors.

Cuisines around the world often favor specific herbs and greens. In that spirit of discovery, I planted a diversity of vegetables and edible flowers readily grown in Marin’s Mediterranean climate. Many edible plants have unrivaled beauty and can be introduced to existing gardens without major upheaval. For example, in a bed of fading bulbs, plant violas, nasturtiums and scented geraniums, all of which produce edible flowers. Nasturtiums are annual warm-season plants needing a soil temperature of at least 60 degrees to germinate. Blooms are prolific and attract hummingbirds. Both the flowers and leaves of nasturtiums are edible. The peppery tasting leaves make a lovely pesto, and the petals can be added to salads and marmalades and used as a garnish for bright, eye-popping color effects. Depending on the variety of nasturtium, they can grow in a mound (Tropaeolum minus) or as climbers (Tropaeolum majus). Next to the nasturtium, I planted violas, sun lovers that tolerate shade but with less bloom. Viola petals are quite flavorful, adding sweetness to cakes and appeal to floral ice cubes. Scented geraniums with leaf and bloom fragrances of lemon, peppermint and rose were planted next. These make lovely additions to baked goods and sugars. The final addition to the flower beds was calendulas, also known as pot marigolds. These are sun lovers too and tolerate moderate water once germinated. The tallest of this group of edible flowers, calendulas, sometimes grow to 24 inches. Online, you will find recipes for Calendula Confetti Salad, or you can use the petals as garnish. Calendulas attract bees, bumblebees and other pollinators, making them good companion plants for tomatoes.

I chose to continue interplanting edible Asian greens under my Japanese maple. Shiso, commonly called Japanese basil and scientifically Perilla frutescens, was planted amongst my anise hyssop and Japanese onions. Anise hyssop leaves and flowers are nice additions to salads. Shiso has ruffled leaves that have an intense spiced flavor, tasting a bit like cinnamon and cloves. The leaves can be green or reddish-purple. On your plate, shiso pairs well with cucumbers, melons, tomatoes and sushi. In addition to the leaves, the flowers and seeds of shiso are very tasty.

Although it’s an annual, it freely reseeds itself and has thrived happily in my garden for three years. It makes a great companion plant with tomatoes. Shiso prefers air temperatures above 50 degrees and consistent watering and grows to a height of 12 inches. Gorgeous leafy Asian greens have been planted between the smaller Japanese maples. Some varieties can withstand both heat and cold and can be harvested in both winter and summer, including Komatsuna, scientific name Brassica rapa, which belongs to the mustard family. It can be eaten much like spinach, raw or cooked. While classified as an annual, plant in spring and in late summer. Komatsuna prefers morning sun and afternoon shade. Its yellow flowers are edible, too. To harvest Komatsuna, cut away the outer leaves, leaving the central part of the plant intact, ensuring the regrowth of new leaves. A second harvest is possible, achieved by cutting the stem down an inch above the ground. The stem will regrow sometimes up to three times. The leaves can be cooked until tender in boiling water, drained and cooled. Squeeze out excess water and chop the leaves as you would with spinach. Or wrap whole leaves around a filling and garnish with yellow flowers.

Have some fun this summer and fall planting edible flowers and Asian greens.

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