Blooming wonderful: edible flowers to try now

Geranium

Why we love them: Slightly rose-like, slightly peppery, but ultimately totally unique in flavour, geranium adds a certain je ne sais quoi to culinary creations, especially sweet treats, like chocolate and this delicious granita below.

Try: African watermelon salad with geranium sorbet

Violets

Why we love them: These delicate purple beauties are not only a feast for the eyes, they also steal the show when scattered through salads, sugared and used to adorn bakes or to make cordial syrups.

Try: Chocolate figs with mascarpone and sugared violets OR lemon cupcakes with beetroot frosting and candied violets

Baby marrow flowers

Why we love them: It’s near impossible not to like a flower that can be stuffed with an array of delicious ingredients and fried, or dipped in batter and fried to crispy perfection.

Try: Red pepper risotto with ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers

Nasturtium

Why we love them: What’s not to love about these irrepressible, vividly hued exotic species with their lovely nutty, slightly peppery taste? They immediately brighten up salads and make gorgeous cake decorations.

Try: Citrus-and-yoghurt cake with ClemenGold icing and nasturtium flowers OR nasturtium and wild sorrel pesto pasta

Rose

Why we love them: The soft, sweet, perfumed taste of rose petals is guaranteed to bring out the romantic in you. Whether you use rose syrup to make an Indian falooda or sugar the petals to adorn bakes, you can’t go wrong.

Try: Rose-petal cake OR rose-water popcorn

Lavender

Why we love it: Not only does lavender have a gorgeous heady fragrance, it’s perfumed flavour adds another dimension to everything from sugared biscuits and fruit-poaching liquid to cheesecake crusts.

Try: Mango lassi with lavender sugar OR Mediterranean summer fruit and yoghurt with lavender honey OR cardamom and white chocolate cheesecake on a lavender crust