Edible flowers have taken over the gourmet cuisine scene, appearing on more and more restaurant menus included in recipes and used as garnishes and decorations. 

Cake decorating has taken on a new dimension. Why spend hours creating sugar roses, when you can use the real thing! A beautiful fragrant fresh rose. Wedding cakes have never looked so resplendent.

Flowers can be added to salads, butter boards, compound butters, and even piled on top of toast with your favorite herbs, fruits and spreads. 

Rose petals and other fragrant flowers can be added to berries for refreshing summer spritzers - or used to flavor desserts and ice creams. 

Plus, there are a whole host of medicinal flowers that are now being made into drinks and functional teas. 

I first started growing my own edible flowers mainly as companion plants in my vegetable garden.  Zinnias, marigolds, sunflowers and nasturtiums, in particular, make excellent companion planting to ward off pests, attract pollinators and improve soil conditions.

The flowers will thrive in the same conditions that you create for vegetables, in raised garden beds or pots. In most cases, they take up little space and can be planted closely together, depending on the depth and soil conditions. 

I grew all of mine from seed. They didn't take long, but of course, you can also buy small seedling plants from garden nurseries. The advantages of seeds, I have found, is the wider range of varieties available, you can keep the seeds for next year in most cases, and you can buy them off season. All of this making them a very versatile and economical source of food. 

Today, my edible flowers have taken over a large part of my vegetable garden, as I use them more often now for my food photography. 

The first thing you need to always do is to double check that your edible flowers are indeed edible. 

You wouldn't eat unknown plants and grasses without checking on their safety first, and so the same goes for flowers. 

Knowing what flowers to pair with what use is important as well. Flowers that have a sweet or floral taste include rose petals, lavender, pansies and violas. Those with a slightly peppery taste, that can complement salads and savory dishes, include nasturtiums and marigolds.  Fruity and spicey flavors include cornflowers, hibiscus, and some types of fuchsias. 

The best way is to actually taste them yourself and develop your recipes around them. Also, look for each flower's medicinal properties. There are many health benefits and medicinal remedies that can be used in this regard. 

To add more creativity to your food blog, you can devise your own scrumptious recipes incorporating edible flowers. Think of all the possibilities!

Ice creams made with rose petals or violets. Shortbread and cookies with pressed flowers. Homemade chocolate bark loaded with lots of colorful flowers. Cupcakes topped with beautiful florals. Gorgeous pansy decorations on top of your favorite tarts and pies. The list is endless.

Rose petals and violets add a beautiful, colorful and sweet taste to many desserts and sweets. The best way is to experiment with your favorite recipes and see how inventive you can become. 

With increasing health concerns, planet sustainability issues, and global economic issues, 2025 should see a greater emphasis on growing your own food, focusing on healthy food choices, and home cooking. This is great news for you as a food blogger. 

One of the ways, that is not only growing in trends but also very economical to produce, are edible flowers. Even if you don't have an outdoor garden, they can be grown in pots on a sunny balcony. 

Edible flowers are often one of the most overlooked food ingredients yet add incredible value. They are fragrant, nutritious, often medicinal, colorful and attractive, and can be added to many recipes for both food and drinks.

Their rise in gourmet cuisine and popularized by many fine dining restaurants have made edible flowers more and more sought after. Incorporating them in your food blogs and recipes can be a great way to introduce new followers or thrill your existing customers in 2025!