{Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka'}

This is the season of so many heavenly fragrances in our garden.

So again, I will share it all with you, my dear blog-readers, family and friends, whomever finds me out here.

In my previous post: {May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} it was with ordinary Gardenia blooms but now we have the HUGE, corsage style Gardenia jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka' 

Again being presented on some Royal Albert Gardenia china inside a French Baccarat crystal vase.
This time it is the large cake platter.

Beside the Aimee Yoshioka there is another Gardenia jasminoides, that's equally stunning and holds as well as a cut flower, as this one. Contrary to the ordinary Gardenia jasminoides, which turns yellow already in a day! But, due to the heavy tropical rain showers we've received the last weeks, I could not have one right now. It had new buds but that is wrong timing...
Gardenia jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshioka' in California, does have them both! This is the Gardenia jasminoides Miami Supreme so you at least have an idea about its beauty!

Check: TopTropicals Gardenia out as well and don't forget to scroll down to see the lovely pictures of all these beauties on their website! 
They even go on to say that Gardenia Aimee Yoshioka  is also called First Love...

{Edible Flowers}

This blog's subject is in reply to a comment by Lilo from Moment, a lovely blogger friend from Niedersachsen, Germany. In her comment on friend Johnanna's blog from Silber+Rosen, Germany... she asked if the pansies that Johanna had on her shortbread cookies, were edible.
So that's the theme for today.

Yes, Lilo, they are edible! And a whole lot of other flowers, besides those pansies. In fact I have for years now the German book with the title: Köstliche Blüten - Rezepten aus dem Kräuter- und  Blumengarten by Marion Nickig/Heide Rau. Edition Ellert & Richter ISBN 3-89234-527-9

For sure this lovely book with recipes from the Herb- and Flowergarden will be available at Amazon in Germany. Here on my blog I only have access to the US Amazon... but it is available here, I did hyperlink it.
Just to wet your appetite: here follow photos from the book. They are scans that I made from the Dutch magazine Nouveau in which they appeared years ago. Let's first find Madelief, another blogger friend from The Netherlands as the first recipe is made for her!

Sorry about the creases, I kept them folded inside the book...
Above are Meizoentjes or Madeliefjes...
that is the Dutch word for Bellis perennis a European variety of Daisy

Holünderblüten in German and Elderblossom in English for syrup.

Wood violets for the salad!

Appleblossom...

Soup with cowslip, primrose...

To even it out, something in English here above for those readers that can't read Dutch...

 The recipes in English

The Ice Cream is delicious and I went through the trouble of also crystallizing the wood violets myself!

And to top it off, a British book about THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Sheila Pickles who used to be managing director of Penhaligon's, the exclusive London perfume house.

{5 Varieties of Hydrangea Are Blooming Now}

• Over the last week I've taken several pictures of our Hydrangeas. So here they come:

•  This is the Hydrangea  Serrata Pretty Maiden that we got in 2000 from Wayside Gardens but they no longer have it in their collection. 
• For the most extensive Hydrangea collection you might have a look at Wilkerson Mill Gardens. 

• Hydrangea Serrata Pretty Maiden, a Lacecap variety.

• Hydrangea Serrata Pretty Maiden in a vase.

• As it turned out, they are not great cut flowers as they shed the tiny buds, you can see on the oak table... But they sure are pretty in the garden for their looks!

• This is Hydrangea Macrophylla Ayesha.

• Hydrangea Macorphylla Ayesha close up.

• Just an ordinary pretty blue Hydrangea doing its very best!

• The ordinary blue Hydrangea in a vase indoors; these keep very well as cut flower and even as dried flower.

• A white Hydrangea.

• This has an exceptional blue color and we got it from our dear friends The Bogles.

• A close up of the Bogle variety...The true color is a lot deeper than in this picture!