eating is about so much more than just the sense of taste. the way something looks or smells can make a huge impression long before a single bite passes your lips. 

as long as you cook your food properly, the delicious aroma should follow, but presentation can be a little more challenging. some foods like a bolognese or a lavender tea cake aren't necessarily pretty on their own. foods that are one color or a mash up of multiple bland colors may need a little help in the visual department. 

that's where some items growing your spring garden come into play. thank you to the heavy california rains, my garden is starting to produce big time. here are a few flowers you can plant in your garden or in your windowsill to brighten up your late winter/early spring meals and cocktails. 

viola
they may be small, but boy are they stunning. violas come in all the colors of the rainbow in multiple different sizes and markings. they are perfect for decorating a bland plate, topping your cakes or frozen in an ice cube to spruce up your lemonade or cocktail. 

nasturtium
these are some of my go to color fillers. nasturtiums come in a variety of colors (red, pink, orange, yellow) and have not only delicious flowers, but tasty leaves as well. i often use the petals in a salad to add a pop of color.

i do not currently have any flowers blooming, but i use their leaves just as much. they are great as a salad filler, a plate garnish or chopped up as a garnish for pastas or meats. 

lavender
technically this is also an herb, but lavender flowers are gorgeous. not only that, there leaves are amazingly delicious. the flowers are beautiful dried or sprinkled on cakes, in cocktails or in ice. the leaves are great as a sub for anything you use rosemary for. 

xo, a