Before garnishing food with flowers, make sure that the flowers are not a poisonous variety and that they are pesticide-free. Your best option is to use garden-grown flowers or those commercially raised especially for eating.

Just because a flower is considered edible, or nontoxic, doesn't mean it tastes good. If you are using edible flowers as an ingredient rather than a garnish, sample the flowers first to make sure that they complement your dish.

Below are some common edible flowers and what they taste and/or smell like:

Pansies - lettuce

Squash Blossoms - sweet nectar

Roses - floral

Violets - very floral

Carnations - bland and somewhat bitter

Bachelor's Buttons - bland

Lilacs - light floral

Lavender - lemon perfume

Nasturtiums - pepper, radish, watercress.