Choosing a calendar for the new year is always a challenge for me. Do I select one with cute baby animals, meaningful messages or delectable sweets that I know I shouldn't eat but dream about every day?

This year I decided to choose one that had a little bit of "all of the above", and for the past six months, I have had the 2016 Farmer's Almanac calendar hanging in my kitchen. Up until the month of June, I have had months that have offered me advice on decorating my home, when and what to plant in the spring and even how to identify birds that may fly into my backyard.

But when I flipped to the month of June, two of my favorite past-times collided. My love to plant beautiful flowers and my love to try new and interesting foods. Yes, the month of June is dedicated to planting edible flowers!

My Farmer's Almanac calendar is quick to point out that it's perfectly okay to add certain flowers to salads, they can be used as edible decor, something to "snack on", or used in recipes to provide new and unusual flavors. But if using flowers to enhance your diet is something you are intrigued by, the Farmer's Almanac calendar reminds us that we should only use flowers that haven't been sprayed with pesticides. And of course, when serving flowers to guests, make sure they have no allergies.

I realize there are probably plenty of flowers that can be considered "edible", but I thought I would just pass along the nine that my trusty Farmer's Almanac calendar offered up. However, if you are like me and intrigued by the thought of "eating your flower garden", check out WhatsCookingInAmerica.net to see if your favorite summer bloom is edible.

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    Calendula

    You may not recognize the genus name Calendula. I didn't, until I Googled it! But Calendula is also known as the common marigold. According to the Farmer's Almanac calendar, the Calendula (marigold) can be added to soups, grains or even scrambled eggs to give the dish a beautiful golden color.

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    Carnation

    One of my favorite flowers is the carnation. Not only is it pleasingly fragrant and lovely to admire, carnations can be added to cakes as decorations. (I guess this is perfect for the month of June - as it is "wedding season".) The petals of the carnation are also supposedly quite sweet, and can be used in desserts.

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    Dandelion

    Let the jokes begin about people using this flower/weed to make WINE! But according to my calendar, dandelions can also be used in salads, as a substitute for coffee and yes - wine! Just remember to use them when they are the beautiful shade of yellow, and not when they are at the "make a wish" stage.

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    Daylily

    Who knew, according to the Farmer's Almanac calendar, that the short-lived daylily can be eaten "as is" or even fried?

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    Gardenia

    The gardenia is not only considered to be one of the most pleasant smelling flowers, but the light, cream-colored blossoms can also be used as an edible garnish.

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    Geranium

    I have one multi-colored flower-pot that I leave JUST for geraniums every spring. And now according to my Farmer's Almanac calendar, I know that these hardy flowers have a great taste and they can be added to pastries and water-based drinks to give them a little extra zing.

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    Nasturtium

    This trailing plant with bright red, orange or yellow flowers can be tossed into a salad or eaten alone. I - personally - have never tried one, but they supposedly have a unique peppery taste.

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    Pansy

    I will admit that the pansy is the flower that I have the most trouble growing in my garden! But according to the Farmer's Almanac calendar, if I was a successful pansy-grower, I could use these colorful flowers as a decoration to add a splash of color. They can also be used in fruit salads, green salads, desserts or soups.

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    Tulip

    The tulip is probably my most favorite springtime flower. But, when it comes to eating one, it never even crossed my mind. If you are thinking that you may want to "try" a tulip, you should know that not everything about the tulip is edible. The petals of the tulip are edible and can have a mild bean-like taste, to a lettuce-like taste, to no taste at all. A word of advice, however, the bulb of a tulip should NOT be consumed.

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