Fresh flowers, above all, are a state of mind. Nothing compares to the colorful burst they bring to a room. When my kitchen garden is alive with blossoms, I fill large and small vases to display in every room. It can take a bit of time to orchestrate, but the results are always worthwhile.
Lately, I’ve been cruising the garden in the early morning hours, scissors in hand, in search of edible flowers with shorter stems, the flowers that won’t quite reach the water level in a taller vase, yet fill a shallow glass centerpiece bowl beautifully. Edible flowers grace my kitchen table; “Moonlight” and “Tip Top” nasturtiums, fanciful purple pansies, and pale pink Monarda, along with coreopsis verticillata, Lady’s mantle (non edible) and sprigs of basil for a dash of foliage. It takes only a few minutes to combine the stems and blossoms, and I keep the arrangements light and airy, allowing just enough space in between each stem for a butterfly to weave in and around, just as if they were still growing in my garden.
