There are so many beautiful flowers to choose from, why not opt for those that give you more than just great color? Here are several easy-to-grow blooms that are also fragrant, good to eat, medicinal or will attract beneficial insects to your garden:

? Calendula. The orange/yellow petals of this cool-season annual look great as
garnish for a green salad, and can be used as 'poor man's saffron' to color rice dishes. Or you can make a healing skin salve from an infusion of the dried flowers and oil.

? Sweet Alyssum. The fragrant clusters of tiny flowers on this low-growing
annual provide nectar to support beneficial insects that help keep pests under control in the garden.

? Nasturtium. So easy to grow it's recommended for children's gardens, this edible flower has a slight peppery taste, plus it has antibacterial properties and can deter deer in the garden.

? Sunflower. Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers to grow. The seeds are adored by winged seed-eaters as well as humans. Most people who are allergic to tree nuts and peanuts can safely consume sunflower seeds.

? Echinacea. Also called purple coneflower, echinacea blossoms can be made into an immune system-enhancing tincture or tea that's often used to fight the common cold.

? Day Lily. High in antioxidants, day lily buds can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The flowers can also be eaten raw in salads, just remove the stamens before slicing the petals.

? Lavender. The superfragrant flowers of this plant create feelings of relaxation. Place sachets of dried lavender flowers in your linen closet for great-smelling sheets that can help you relax at night.

Learn more about beneficial flowers in Barbara Pleasant's '10 Useful Flowers' article in the Feb/March 2006 issue of Mother Earth News.