Roses are edible, and make a tasty addition to many dishes and drinks

Do you grow roses? Have you ever thought about growing them organically? That way you not only keep synthetic pesticides out of your garden and groundwater, but you can EAT and DRINK your roses too. In our new video, Tricia shows you how to grow roses organically and she gives basic guidelines on rose care and pruning. Now, let's eat those organic roses! Pick up your pruners and follow us into the rose garden.

Strong fragrance means strong rose flavor

Our friend Teresa O'Connor is an edible flower specialist at Seasonal Wisdom. She votes for the fragrances and flavors of old roses like Rosa rugosa and Rosa gallica. For California native plant lovers, consider the Rosa californica. Feel free to follow your nose to your favorite rose.

How to gather your rosebuds

In the cool of the morning, snip off those buds and blooms, rinse them indoors, and then remove the bitter, white base of each petal. Pat the petals dry and use them in the following recipe ideas.

Eat and drink organic roses from morning to night

• Start your morning with a Vitamin C rich cup of rose hip tea (easy to find these on rugosas).
• Make some rose petal jam for your breakfast toast.
• In a hurry? Blast up some rose honey in your food processor.
• Simplest of all? Add one part rose petals and two parts sugar for rose sugar. 
• You can use rose water in any number of recipes, like salad dressings and Manhattans. Here's how to prep your very own rose water.
• Feeling sentimental? Fix an entire tea party, for Mother's Day or another occasion, with rose petal everything.
• Still wondering about that Manhattan recipe? It's a Rosehattan, pleasant to sip while wandering in your garden at dusk.

Don't forget to make tea for the roses, too

Alfalfa tea is all the rage with rosarians around the U.S., and many blue ribbon winners swear by it.

Just goes to show -- deer are not the only mammals that like to eat roses. Grow your roses organically and savor the floral flavors.