6 edible flowers you can grow in the inner city

Sydney City Farm educator Jen Beer wants everyone in the city to grow flowers. Many flowers attract pollinators and beneficial insects to your patch. Plus, some flowers are edible and delicious.

Here are 6 flowers Jen recommends for city growers getting started with edible flowers.

You can discover more flowers which will flourish in pots and small city gardens at our edible flowers workshops.

Australian native violet Viola hederacea

Native violets grow in moist, shady environments in bushland and flower during spring and summer. Grow them as groundcovers in sheltered courtyards or in containers in partial shade. Harvest freshly opened flowers to decorate desserts.

Sunflowers Helianthus annuus

Sunflower petals have a mild nutty flavour. Sprinkle them over salads to add a little colour. Try growing dwarf sunflower varieties in sunny windowboxes and containers. Sunflower seeds are large and easy to handle. Sow seeds from late spring until early autumn.

Nasturtiums Tropaeolum majus

Nasturtium flowers add a mild peppery flavour to salads. These fast-growing plants are ideal for impatient gardeners. Choose compact nasturtium varieties to grow in pots and small spaces. Sow seeds from spring through until autumn, the large seeds are easy to handle. If foraging wild nasturtiums, pick blooms growing above waist height and avoid polluted areas or busy roads.

Cornflowers Centaurea cyanus

Did you know the dried blue petals of cornflowers are often found in earl grey leaf tea blends? Plant cornflower seeds in autumn for flowers in spring. They grow well in a sunny position in raised beds or large containers. Cornflower plants can grow up to 90cm tall and the more you pick the flowers, the more they’ll bloom.

Borage Borago officinalis

Harvest bright blue borage flowers and freeze in ice cubes to decorate your summer drinks. They have a mild cucumber flavour. Plant borage seeds in late summer through to late winter for flowers in the warm season. They grow well in a sunny position in raised beds or large containers. Borage plants can grow up to 1m tall and native bees and honey bees adore the blue flowers.

Violas Viola odorata

Violas will flower during the cooler months, plant out seedlings in autumn for flowers during winter and spring. Grow in small containers in a position with morning sun. Viola flowers can be crystallized with egg white and caster sugar for edible cake decorations. Picking flowers regularly stimulates the plant to produce more.

Want more?

Get involved in events, hands-on volunteer programs, workshops and talks at Sydney City Farm.