Incredible Edibles

My favorite publisher of travel guides is DK (Dorling Kindersley Limited). They do very well with gardening books, too, creating visually rich yet uncluttered plant encyclopedias.

A new favorite in this style is Incredible Edibles: Grow Something Different in your Fruit and Veg Plot. The use of the term “veg” is a clue that the author, Matthew Biggs, is British, but he writes for a global audience. But no worries, most of these edibles will do well in a Seattle garden.

Here is the opportunity to expand your palate. While many of the plants are exotic, others are already familiar to gardeners. Fuchsia berries, daylily flowers, and the leaves and flowers of your hosta border all provide tasty treats. Most surprising (for me) was learning that dahlias are edible.

The author typically points out the horticultural value of his subjects and has a knack for taste-tingling imagery. He describes Chilean guava (Ugni molinae) as being a favorite of Queen Victoria because the fruits have little crowns. In addition, “the aromatic fruits are the size of blackcurrants, but taste like wild strawberries and bubblegum. It really should be more widely grown.”

Northwest natives, such as camas and Oregon grape, are included. Never taken a class on cooking camas? A sidebar of “cook’s tips” will get you started. We purchased this fun book with a grant from the Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association.

Published in the July 2018 Leaflet, Volume 5, Issue 7.