Pure art on a plate.....

Unleash your inner chef with The Secret Garden's incredible edible flowers. Our fresh edible flowers have it all...exquisite good looks, vibrant colour, subtle texture and intriguing flavours.

Naturally grown in New Zealand and available year-round, our edible flowers add instant culinary flair to salads, savoury fare, cakes, desserts and drinks. Not only will our blooms make ordinary meals magnificent, many varieties are bursting with flavour and are nutritious too. Plus, because we're passionate about natural, honest food, all our edible flowers are carefully grown using only natural pesticides approved for use in organic farming.

We hand-pick only the finest, most flawless, fresh specimens and lovingly box them for your convenience. Beautifully presented, each box contains a mixture of garden, herb and wild edible flowers. Don't just save them for a special occasion...year-round availability allows you to create a visual feast every day of the week!

At The Secret Garden, we let nature dictate our product range – that's why each season brings variety and interest to our edible flower selection. Our summer boxes offer a delightful combination of fresh edible flowers, including cornflower, dianthus, viola, coriander, edible chrysanthemum and okra flowers, alongside a variety of complementary seasonal blooms. Wild garlic, rosemary, sweet violet, dianthus, Queen Anne's Lace, fennel, viola, busy lizzie, brassica and pea flowers typically take centre-stage in winter, accompanied by many other floral delights.

We're proud to grace the tables of many top eateries including The Grove, Sidart, Masu, The Tasting Shed, Matterhorn, Huka Lodge and Cable Bay. Our edible flowers and unusual produce have even been known to play cameo roles on Masterchef NZ and My Kitchen Rules NZ. Now, we make it easy for you to serve up impressive restaurant-style dishes at home.

The Secret Garden's incredible, fresh edible flowers are available for purchase from Farro Fresh in Auckland and Moore Wilson’s in Wellington. For home chefs based south of Auckland, orders can be made via The Town Mouse Cafe in Pukekohe, Phone: 09 239 1110.

 

Our fresh, edible flowers make easy work of sprucing up the simplest of dishes. For stunning results, just remove petals from the flowers and use imaginatively.

Try to find flower petals with flavour that complement your dish, and sprinkle liberally for stunning visual effect and a full flavour sensation. If you prefer to use whole flower heads, you have two choices; carefully trim green leaves, stems and the sometimes bitter base of the petals to ensure everything on the plate is edible, or alternatively use whole flower heads for divine cake decoration or to adorn a buffet, remembering to push to one side before serving.
With The Secret Garden's edible flowers, the possibilities are endless... add to appetisers for instant wow-factor, infuse into sauces for intriguing taste sensations or jazz up desserts with artistically placed blooms. It's never been easier to create decadent desserts, stand-out salads, pretty pancakes or impressive ice bowls.

Keep your cool...

Our edible flowers enjoy keeping cool. For long-lasting good looks and flavours, keep them fresh by transporting in an insulated chiller grocery bag until you get home. Then, simply pop them in the fridge and store with the lid firmly shut until ready to create your culinary masterpieces. Where possible, decorate with edible flowers just before serving and remember our beautiful blooms are delicate, so handle with care. For best results, use as soon after purchase as possible – as a guide, they typically maintain their good looks for up to 3 days if stored in the fridge.

 

Pic credit: © Lori Lynn

 

Recipes & inspiration:

If you're used to using fresh herbs in your cooking, adding a sprinkling of fresh edible flowers will be a breeze. Don't forget, our edible flowers are guaranteed to make budding chefs look like pros. But, if you are pushed for time, simply add a sprinkling of petals to transform meal-times.
We encourage you to express your creativity, unleash your imagination and enjoy experimenting. And, if you still need some inspiration, check out our Things of Pinterest for recipes, ideas and presentation tips.

P.s. Don't keep us secret.....share us with the world on Instagram, facebook and Twitter. We'd also love to be inspired by you, so don't forget to post photos of your culinary creations.

Every fresh edible flower has a unique taste.

Look out for wild garlic, society garlic and chive flowers, which exude a mild, sweet onion and garlic flavour – a perfect partner to steak, sprinkled over a nicoise salad, sautéed with asparagus or simply stirred through scrambled eggs or omelette.

Begonia flowers boast a crunchy, acidic flavour, reminiscent of sorrel leaves, while yellow wood sorrel flowers enjoy a similar sour taste – pair with a side of salmon for a taste sensation.
Versatile viola flowers come in a plethora of shapes, colours and sizes. Their mild, delicate flavour makes them perfect for savoury or sweet dishes - experiment with ice blocks, appetisers and desserts or include them in summer roll wrappers. They also make a pretty addition to summer drinks.

The Secret Garden – home of New Zealand's finest, fresh edible flowers

 

Disclaimer:

Since all our plants are grown using natural pesticides for the good of your health, we can't guarantee the absence of harmless stowaways. If concerned at all, simply rinse gently and lightly pat dry before using. Sufferers of asthma, ragweed, and hayfever should seek advice before consuming edible flowers. Individuals consuming The Secret Garden edible flowers do so entirely at their own risk. The Secret Garden cannot be held responsible for any adverse reaction to our flowers.

 

1. What edible flowers are available from The Secret Garden?

We offer a seasonal mix of fresh, edible flowers from the following range:
Alyssum / Angelica / Anise hyssop / Apple blossoms / Bean flowers / Begonia / Bergamot Bee / Balm / Bergamot lemon / Borage / Broad bean flowers / Broccoli flowers / Calendula / Carnation / Chamomile / Chervil / Chicory / Chive flowers / Chrysanthemum / Citrus blossom / Clover / Coriander / Cornflower / Dandelion / Day Lily / Dianthus / Elderflower / English daisy / Evening primrose / Feijoa flowers / Fennel / Fuchsia / Garlic chives / Geranium / Gladiolas / Hyssop / Hibiscus / Honeysuckle / Hollyhock / Hyacinth / Jasmine / Lavender / Lemon verbena / Marigold / Mexican tarragon / Nasturtium / Okra / Pansy / Pak choi / Pea / Pineapple sage / Primrose / Polyanthus / Queen Anne's lace / Rocket / Rose / Society garlic / Squash blossoms / Sunflower / Tulip / Viola / Wild garlic flowers / Wood sorrel

2. Is the entire flower edible?

All of The Secret Garden's flower petals are edible. Carefully trim green leaves, stems and the sometimes bitter base of the petals to ensure everything on the plate is edible, or alternatively use whole flower heads for divine cake decoration or to adorn a buffet, remembering to push to one side before serving.

3. Are certain flowers inedible?

All of The Secret Garden's edible flowers are suitable for eating. If sourcing flowers from your garden or elsewhere, remember there are some flowers in particular to be avoided including azalea, crocus, daffodil, foxglove, oleander, rhododendron, jack-in-the-pulpit, lily of the valley, fairy primrose and wisteria. Our edible flower mix does not include these varieties or any other inedible flower.

4. How should I store my edible flowers?

Our edible flowers are fresh, so they like to stay cool. To help prolong their life, transport them home in an insulated chiller grocery bag, store them in the fridge – ideally between 2-7°C - with the lid firmly closed and use creatively just before serving.

5. How long will my edible flowers last?

Your Secret Garden edible flowers are fresh, so to ensure they continue to look their best, keep them chilled and use as soon as possible. As a guide, they typically maintain their good looks for up to 3 days if stored in the fridge.

6. How should I use my edible flowers?

Sprinkle the petals for subtle elegance or use whole flower heads (remembering to trim the green non-edible stalks and foliage to ensure they are edible or use purely for decoration and remove before serving) for impressive wow-factor. Just add your imagination....

7. Can I use them in savoury dishes as well as sweet?

Absolutely! Our edible flowers are extremely versatile meaning they work equally well in savoury and sweet dishes. Think homemade pasta pepped up with a scattering of intense yellow, purple, pink and blue petals or an elegant cheesecake adorned with jewel coloured edible blooms and petals.

8. Can I purchase packs featuring a single colour/variety of edible flowers?

We believe variety is the spice of life. That's why The Secret Garden's edible flowers are beautifully presented in a box featuring a mix of seasonal edible flowers. Colours and varieties are dictated by the season and range from pretty lilacs, blues, purples and deep burgundy to vibrant yellows, reds and orange. Enjoy a true medley of tastes, colours and textures in one convenient, easy-to-store pack.

9. Can I freeze, heat or crystalise my edible flowers?

Our edible flowers are best used fresh as nature intended, although you can experiment if you dare....
Freezing: Once defrosted, frozen flowers turn limp and their colours darken, so you'll lose the beauty that you bought them for in the first place. But, you can create cool floral ice-cubes...simply freeze single edible flowers (violas, pansies, calendula and borage work well) in ice-cube trays and use for stylish drinks. Or try experimenting with decorative ice bowls for a unique way to serve home-made ice-cream and sorbet.
Heating: Our edible flowers can be heated – they do lose some intensity of colour, but still look pretty. Try baking on biscuits or in pancakes and check out Pinterest for more inspiration
Crystallising: Crystallised edible flowers make beautiful decorations for desserts. Not only do they taste amazing, but they add elegance and a touch of romance. Crystalising takes a little patience, but the rewards are well worth it!
How to: You'll need egg white, water and caster sugar...

1. Mix the egg white with a tiny splash of water (approx 1 - 2 teaspoons).
2. With a soft paintbrush or basting brush, paint a thin layer of egg white onto the petals (make sure you completely cover them).
3. Sprinkle each flower with caster sugar.
4. Leave to dry on a baking tray for 1 - 2 hours.
5. Reapply the egg white and sprinkle over more sugar. Check for any uncovered areas and reapply where necessary.
6. Leave to dry for 2 days.

10. Where can I purchase The Secret Garden edible flowers ?

Our edible flowers are available to purchase from Farro Fresh in Auckland and Moore Wilson’s in Wellington. For home chefs based south of Auckland, orders can be made via The Town Mouse Cafe in Pukekohe, Phone: 09 2391110. If you dine out, you'll also get to enjoy our flowers at many of New Zealand's top eateries including Soul Bar, Masu, Huka Lodge, Bracu and Cable Bay.

11. Can I order online?

Because they are so delicate and fresh, we choose to sell our edible flowers via Farro Fresh in Auckland and Moore Wilson’s in Wellington. That way we can ensure they are at their complete best when you purchase them.