Bamboo is an edible and has a mystical brilliance about it.

Elephant garlic makes lovely globular 3-4" seed heads with long stems that dry nicely for arrangements.

Daylilies look pretty in the garden and can be added to salads. They have healthful pigments but the yellow ones tend to taste the best, especially the ones with heavy texture to the petals, and fragrance.

Elephant garlic makes lovely globular 3-4" seed heads with long stems that dry nicely for arrangements

But! I've been told that if you want nice large bulbs, then you should break off the flower stems/scapes before they actually flower. That way, all the energy goes into the bulbs. And you can eat those scapes, too. mine tasted great! yum!

My DH says the plants themselves look like corn. But really, they look like leeks.

:) I need to try the Nigella, then...

and I really adore both the spicy purple thai basil, and this odd small-leaf'd variety that fakes a good bonsai if you can keep it alive through the winter :)

I haven't found anyone with the bronze fennel yet this year, but I think it makes an amazing backdrop to foliage plants.

I'm not a real fan of the daylilly buds/flowers- but every year I raid the beds for the shoots when I'm raking the leaves off them- they're sweet and crunchy, and I never seem to take enough to make a difference in the garden.

but nasturtiums are the first things I ever planted, and will always be my favorite- a great 'green to dress up chicken salad sandwiches, a nice bite in salads- and wow, they make flowers that taste spicy enough to make some of my friends' eyes water :)

we'll see if the hardy kiwi's do more than hide the ugly old fence this year- I put them in last july from cuttings, and wasn't really expecting them to come back this year- but hardy, they have proven to be :)

I'm sold on the Perrila you mentioned Flower&things. They have many uses and reseed freely. But even better is the way the curly leaves look where they dcide to grow. Love'em.
Passion flower (maypop) is another fav.
Mike

Opps meant to add Cuban oregano. Too pretty to eat .... almost ;o)
Mike

Hmmmm, this is a toughie...I would have to say dill and sages.So hard to narrow this one down..

Hey bigeasy ... I went to the nursery recently and noticed a plant.... that had a "scent" I have this habit of bruising (almost every) leaf I walk by (and sniffing it!) and smelling every blossom..... even the ones I know darn well don't smell.... like delphinium.... can't help myself.... just in case.... well I saw this "trailing" plant with variegated leaves.... succulent and somewhat hairy and noticed an odor.... but it was not in the herb section.... it was in the decorative (annual) section.... I figured it was a trailer grown for foliage..... That must've been the cuban oregano! It had a pretty nice mint/sagey/thymey scent.... What do you use it for? What is its culture? I might just go over and pick me up one ! :)

Ha! Why Flower its a .... ready ... used the same as oregano! ;o)
Very strong stuff so go easy on it.
Pinches take very easy. It will not survive even a frost so bring ya some in over winter.
Mike

I love all my edibles.

Best looking IMHO:

White Sage
Bronze Fennel (my nephew calls it 'kittens')
Rosemary
Thyme (alot of it, close together)
Cinnamon Basil (annual, but a neccesity)

Asparagus (requires site planning because it is a permanent planting, but sends up nice ferns).

Pomegranite (traffic cone orange blossoms) (easily rooted), more fruit in sun, but lived in and produced a little in shade. (less then 12 in full shade) way too many in sun.

Fig (graceful arching tree) They do well growing against a wall or some structure (I don't know why, but this is important), and also mine grew in the cover of shade. (since had taller trees removed) now it has turned into the shade. (also easily rooted).

Blueberry (awesome all the time)

I could go on as I think all edibles are beautiful in their own way.

painter why does your nephew call the fennel kittens because its soft? Also I didn't know white sage was edible.... I thought it was mostly for ceremonies (like native american) i.e. (incense etc.) not food....

Flowers,

Yes he calls fennel kittens because it is so soft and her pets it and then takes an imaginary kitten to the dog. He is three so it all makes sense.

I assume white sage could be used for culinary purposes. Honestly, someone gave me my plant and it was a sick little thing that I was sure would die. I have had it for almost a year and it is thriving. I guess I will research this herb more before harvesting any. I have common sage also, but that little white sage plant is just special to me for some reason.

Bamboo adds a mesmerizing rustling sound to the garden when the breeze blows, how often do we consider sound in our gardens?

I am really enjoying getting to know the foliage of the new plants/trees in my garden. I'm surprised at how ornamental many of them are - Cornell's Delicata squash has solid silver leaves, Green Gage plum has glossy leathery dark green leaves with pale reverses, Pepino Dulce has beautiful foliage as does silver sorrel.

I don't have just one favorite.