When Fashion And Nature Collide: The Edible Flowers Experience

fashion, Lookbook, Nature, Art & Creativity, When Fashion and Nature Collide, 58 Comments

Published by 3C Style

Scientific journalist, author and fashion blogger from Montreal - Journaliste scientifique, auteure et blogueuse mode de Montréal

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Two of our favourite things come together for a holistic sensory experience in the June edition of When Fashion And Nature Collide. On Darren’s visit to Montreal, we had the fortune and pleasure of indulging in quite a few types of edible flowers. I had heard that begonias taste like apples, but experiencing it is —well, it’s just a next level kind of treat! We ended up playing with our food and creating some interesting salads. And we also made for you a guide to edible flower flavours.
Instagram Guide FlavoursA few words about the begonias. Yes, they do taste like apples, but their savors are different according to their colours. The red begonias taste like McIntosh. The pink ones have a sour crab apple flavour and the yellow begonias have the delicious tart taste of the Granny Smith apple.
With all these lovely flowers and their leafs, we made this delectable salad dressed in a light vinaigrette with a few pansies and begonias thrown on top. Sure, the pansies had negligible flavour, but their rich purple, yellow and orange were beautiful to look at. We encourage you to try these blooms as they provide not only a great visual element to any salad but many are actually yummy!
The edible flowers come from Les Jardins Sauvages at the Jean-Talon Market (a must see if you ever visit Montreal).
Photo 25-05-2019, 21 14 59Photography of Edible Flowers and Salad photography by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– Stylist for the Guide to Edible Flower Flavours and Salad photography: Dominique Nancy, 3C Style –– Photo collage of the Guide to Edible Flowers Flavours by 3C Style and The Arty Plantsman.
After sending our absent partner Lisa a few photos to make her jealous 😀, Darren and I captured the inspiration of the moment to create five outfits for five flowers. One includes a bit of critter-inspiration (critteration, if you will) from a duck (a duckfit, if you will).
No edible flower is complete without the garnishment of a tasty beverage, so we found matching drinks for our flowers as well and made some fancy pics of them. A few words of description follow, but they can hardly do the look and feel of these floral creations justice!
Note: In case you’ve not seen these capsules before, the When Fashion and Nature Collide project is a monthly collaboration with two of my WP friends: Lisa of Lismore Paper and Darren of The Arty Plantsman. Artwork Copyright ©Fashioned by Nature.
The third Wednesday of each month you can see outfits styled by me, and art from Lisa and Darren, that were inspired by Darren’s flower and critter pictures, and sometimes Lisa or other photographers who collaborate with the team. With the spirit of protecting nature I pull together my outfits with clothing already available in my wardrobe. When purchases are to be made, these come from vintage boutiques and thrift stores or from socio-eco-friendly brands. Our team also create designs for our shop at Fashionedbynature.threadless.com
Enjoy the issue and cheers!

The Dandelions

The Dandelions1Outfit#dandelion 6#dandelion 4The lively backdrop of the McCord Museum in downtown Montreal perfectly sets off this set of sunshine vintage yellow coat and cropped jeans.
Dandelion WineMake your own wineApparently, dandelion wine is worth the wait. I’m actually curious to find out. If anyone of you have tasted it before, let me know in the comments below. For obvious reasons, we couldn’t do our picture with dandelion wine. We used alcohol-free sparkling pear juice instead and it did the job. Taste good too!
BottlePhotography of 3C Style by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– Dandelion with bee photography & wine glass artwork by Lisa Lawrence, Lismore Paper –– Dandelion grass & dandelion wine in a bottle photography by Darren Sleep –– Stylist for outfit and dandelion wine photography: Dominique Nancy, 3C Style –– Photo collages by 3C Style.

The Borage

The Borage#Montreal #BluesummerlookIMG_2294Borage3A casual but trendy look to match the lovely blue starflower. The vintage jewelry and straw bag give a hint of class without getting too kitschy with it.
Eating flowers is not a new thing. I remember the sugared violets on top of my mother’s cakes. While searching about the topic, I found out that one of the oldest references to consuming flowers referred to the Borage. Celtic warriors were familiar with the properties of the plant as they used to let Borage petals floating in their wine to generate courage before battle. Nowadays, its anti-inflammatory properties are known, and the plant is infused in tea to help reduce pain. Its sweet cucumber, honey taste makes it a good pairing with cool drinks mix with lemon. See Darren’s cute artwork below.
Party Faces (1)Photography of 3C Style by Marie-Claude Viola –– Borage photography by Pixabay –– Cocktail photography by The Spruce Eats, Recipe of the Sparkling Borage Cocktail available on their site –– Borage and Lemon artwork by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– Stylist & Photo collages by Dominique Nancy, 3C Style.

The Hops

The Hops.pngCrafty.pngRust has always been one of my fave colours. I’m super stoked that it is still in style this year, and I celebrated with an earthy colour mix featuring a vintage Fendi bag. The backdrop comes from the Montreal BAnQ Archives Library. Not many people know about this place, but the architecture interior design is to die for. Your Instagram will thank you.
#StairsStairs & BeerPhotography of 3C Style by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– Let’s get crafty logo artwork and Craft Beer collage by Lisa Lawrence, Lismore Paper –– Beer photography by Dominique Nancy, 3C Style –– Hops photo by Emilian Robert Vicol, Pixabay –– Stylist & Photo collages by 3C Style.
Bonus: Funny video of Darren getting drunk.

 

The Apple Blossom

Apple BlossomTress, Fashion and ArtworkPhotography of 3C Style by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– Fruit Grower’s Guide artwork by Lisa Lawrence, Lismore Paper –– Stylist for outfit and Food photography & Photo collages by Dominique Nancy, 3C Style.
The beautiful apple trees in St-Joseph field is about 30 minutes from Montreal, in case you wanted to know.
IMG_5815This food pic was taken by Darren and styled by me. It looks like a painting and we both love it. I tried to match it with a simple, classic outfit – jeans and a silk blouse with vintage earrings. The blouse and earrings match the Apple Blossom flower, the belt’s colour reminds the glass of juice and the decor fits perfectly with the hues of the food photography. We took the fashion photos at the Marché Central. Many thanks to Denis Wilson for letting us do the shoot in his shop.  

IMG_5773IMG_5786IMG_5780

The Fiddlehead Fern & Duck

FiddleheadSwimsuit2StromAfter the beer tasting, Darren was VERY relax, but we both needed to recharge our batteries. So, I took him to a spa. He was a Spa Virgin 😉 and wasn’t sure if he would like it. Apparently, he did enjoy his first experience —and, very quickly, he was ready to take some more awesome photos.
HotTub2This forest green ruffles one-piece swimsuit is by Everyday Sunday. The eco-friendly brand focus on feminine yet comfortable designs, which are distributed by Nasri International, a company founded in Montreal. The inspirational photos were taken at the Strom Spa in Nun’s Island near downtown Montreal. Thanks for letting us take pictures! More about this spa on Friday’s blog post.
IMG_5680Deserty Travel Tips (9).png
3cups fresh fiddlehead ferns, ends trimmed  / 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons unfiltered extra-virgin olive oil / 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced / 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Deserty Travel Tips (11)Feel free to take as much inspiration as you can from this month’s offerings! I certainly had a grand time finding and translating it into spring/summer wear for you.

New designs available on our shop

As the icing on the cake for this month, we have some new designs, including a wooden spoons design inspired by one of my doodles, and a Beer crafty logo, which I love too.
Everything BloomsEverything BloomsSticker & PouchNew Products SpoonsLet's Get CraftyThese designs are available on many different products through our shop at fashionedbynature.threadless.com.

Note: We will be on vacation in July, but we’ll be back in August with another edition of When Fashion and Nature Collide.

Don’t forget to visit LismorePaper and The Arty Plantsman to get an overall view of our monthly collaboration.
The Happy Trio of When Fashion and Nature Collide
Next edition of When Fashion and Nature Collide: August 21st 
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Let’s stay connected: Bloglovin – Instagram @3cstyle_fashion

If you liked this post, you’ll love these

When Fashion And Nature Collide – Making Waves
 Our Tree Love Collection on Threadless
When Fashion And Nature Collide – The Illusion Edition

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  1. A great post my friend. Working on these pictures with you was a real treat and I already miss you, and your city, terribly. You found some great shoot locations too.
    Every part of this process was fun, and you even managed to get video of me smiling, which is quite an achievement! The spa experience was lovely and the food photography turned out incredibly well.
    Though Lisa could not be there we had her in our minds throughout the creative process and I know she would have loved it.
    Adding my own interpretation to your doodles has again been very rewarding and I really value your inspiration and aesthetic sense.
    Love and hugs. xx

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    1. Ooh Darren, hope you already know how much I love working with you and Lisa. This edition is indeed very special. There is no place in Montreal I can go now without thinking about you. I’m not complaining! But I already miss you as well and I am looking forward to our next reunion. Special hugs your way dear friend. xoxo

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  3. Wow!! What a fantastic post! You and Darren are magical and so talented. So many beautiful locations, fashion, food, and Darren smiling!!! 💕 You two nailed it and the inspiration is a priceless gift you shared. Love you both endlessly. Hugs sis!!

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    1. Thank you Tracy. For a mysterious reason your comment went straight to my spam folder. I have no idea why, but I’m glad I was finally able to see it. 💜

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Sometimes a break is just what we need to rejuvenate. It’s a long holiday weekend over here and a much needed one. I will definitely take this time to recharge my batteries.

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  6. What a fun post. So much to enjoy. I love the vintage yellow coat, and the tribute to the humble Dandelion. I have not tried eating Begonia flowers but I do love Nasturtium and Viola. Will pop over to Lisa and Darren.

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  7. A fascinating and beautiful post. I really like both the styles and images. Cheers to both of you. The only time I’ve had edible flowers was when my wife and I rode the Le Petit Train du Nord in the Laurentians several years ago. It seemed very exotic. Perhaps we can try some on our own this summer. BTW, thanks for the tip on the BNC Archives. My camera and I will check it out on our next trip to Montreal. Cheers!

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    1. Thanks Chris for your kind words. Glad you like the post. It was so much fun to show icon places in Montreal to Darren. Just wish Lisa had been with us too. Oh my, I have not been to Le Petit Train du Nord in such a long time. My father lives not to far from there. I will definitely go again this summer. Thanks. Be careful if you eat flowers on your own. The blooms in the list below are perfectly edible. Just be sure no chemicals were used on the plants: amaranth; borage; calendula; daisies; elderflower; fuchsias; gardenia; hemerocallis; lavender; mint; nasturtium; primulas; roses; sweet William (dianthus); tagetes, and violets. You will love the Archives Librairy!

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    2. You’re welcome. Sorry for the delayed response, I’ve spent the day spoiling our 10 year old niece at my parent’s home on Cape Cod. I appreciate the tips. You mention buying edible flowers at Jean Talon Market. I have yet to go there. I’ve been to Atwater Market many times, usually when we ride bicycles along the Lachine Canal. I’ll have to make a point to go to Jean Talon next trip. In the meantime, perhaps I can find some edible flowers at local farmer’s markets. Cheers.

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    3. I was thinking about writing a post regarding beautiful places to visit while in Montreal. Your last comments tell me it is something that could be useful to my WP friends. I will soon do it so you’ll get all the links to those places. And yes, the Marché Jean-Talon will be in there along with the BAnQ Archives Librairy. I’m sure that you can find edible flowers at the farmer’s market. This product is really trendy.

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    5. I agree Chris. So much to see in Montreal, and not just in the Summer. In Fall, the landscape is actually very beautiful. Boston is also breathtaking, no matter the season.
      Looking forward to visiting again soon. I will work on that post during my vacation.

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  8. What an extensive amount of work you put in. I do recall drinking floral tea, but I am unable to tell you just what it was. To add to that I have had florals in salad. I remember paying well for it, too. Lol That staircase is a visual treat! What a great choice that was. Love the blue earrings. Nice shade on those. You guys had fun, and it shows in the work. Very impressive. Hugs, Alan

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    1. I still have to try floral tea. I want to find Blooming tea. Montreal is indeed filled with breathtaking architecture. That staircase in the BAnQ is one of my favourites. BTW, it is comments like yours that get me going. Thank you for your kind words once again. You are so sweet Alan. Hugs.

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  9. What a fabulous post Dominique. It looks like you and Darren had a wonderful time, (very cute video of him by the way) and you certainly got creative in a whole lot of different, and delicious settings. Love it all, the colour, the fun, the vibrancy and I could almost taste and smell those apples through your post. Wonderful effort! Cheers to your amazing collaboration. 😊💚💕

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  11. What a great post Dominique! And what an awesome collaboration! I have never tried any edible flowers but I think I have too 🙂 Looks so pretty in the plate, almost too pretty to eat them 🙂 Dandelion wine? wow, never tried it, yet 🙂 That library must be amazing! I love the libraries 🙂
    Enjoy your vacation!

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    1. Hello Ribana! So nice to have you here. Never tried dandelion wine either. Fermenting takes about two years… I’m not that patient. Lol. I agree, that library is to die for! Thank you so much for your lovely words. Cheers!

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  12. Another stellar edition of this wonderful series! I love the pics of you on the stairs. I also adore the bathing suit duck comparison. Brilliant! And the new shop designs are a lot of fun. But what really made me smile was the thought of Darren at a spa. And the best part was the video of Darren who appeared to be feeling his beer quite a bit! Dominique, you are a terrible influence on him. Making him go to a spar and then make him enjoy a beer flight. Tsk tsk, you are so hard on the boy! 😉 ❤️

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    1. Thank you Linda. I had such a great time doing the photos and the Guide to edible flower flavors with Darren. I agree, the best part was the video of Darren. He kept telling me “I’m OK Dominique. I’m not drunk.” But his face was telling otherwise. Like you said, “he was feeling his beer”. This was hilarious, and I had to capture the moment. The Spa experience was another Happy Time during his trip. Oooh I know, I am a very bad influence on him. I even made him broke the law. Not once, but three times! I think he enjoyed it too. I am going to shut up for now because I intend to write a blog post on the topic. You’ll have to wait a bit though, but I promise it will be worth the wait.
      Miss you! Hope you and Bill are doing well. Sending huge hugs to both of you. And lots of love. Cheers!

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Pingback: When Fashion And Nature Collide: The Edible Flowers Experience – A Guy Called Bloke

  15. So so cool. Your creativity and talents are unmatched and it’s always such a treat for me to see this segment. Every time I think it’s not possible to top it, you and this amazing team is doing it again. 👍🏻

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  16. Oh!! I don’t know where to start!!
    The lunch place, I have to go there!! The video 😂😂😂, I need that coffee too 😃 and the spa 🤩, ya that’s on my must do list too!
    Of course the actual post about flowers and all the pics, were fantastic! Looks like I really missed out on this trip 😲

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    1. You were with us in thoughts! The video is my fav. Darren’s face is so hilarious. We had a great time. It’s always fun to be around Darren and to work with him. Hope this will happen again soon… And wish you, Lisa, Linda and Sarah will be able to come to Montreal. xoxo

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    1. I knew you would like the edible flowers guide. Have you ever tried to cook with such flowers? Thank you so much for your lovely comment. You made my day!

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    2. Edible flower guide is fantastic!! Personally I have never cooked with any flower yet. But long time back someone told that shampoo prepared with Hibiscus flowers is very good for hair and we had lots of those flowers. So me and my friend prepared homemade shampoo. Can’t remember now if we ever used that shampoo, but that was the first and last time I cooked any flower😁😁

      But in India banana and drumstick flowers and buds are used quite a lot in cooking.

      And yes, while coming back from school me and friends used to nibble Royal poinciana’s flower,s stem.
      Childhood memories!!

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  19. Had no ideas begonias taste like apples, and that certain flowers tastes like certain foods. Something I need to try. A colourful salad is always a good salad to look at, and also a more flavourful one. I also remember eating flower petals as a kid – they would be on cakes for decorative purposes, and tasted sweet. Great styling of the food and objects, and also great outfit choices. Yellow looks good on you, and the colour yellow seems to be everywhere these days. I even bought a yellow crop-top jumper the other day

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    1. The flower tasting was a big discovery for me as well. And the salad we made was surprisingly very delicious. It looked almost too pretty to eat but we enjoyed it anyway. Thank you so much for your kind words. Darren and I had lots of fun styling these blooms. My daughter just bought a bright yellow crop top jumper too and it looks amazing on her. Personally, pastel yellow fits me better. But in our next edition of When Fashion And Nature Collide I will be styling something in bright yellow. Wish me luck!

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    3. Haha… Seems like you know me well. There will definitely be colorful fashion in our next issue. You can expect some sugary hues for Fall. Thanks for your lovely comment. Keep well.

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  20. How did I miss this?! I thought I had read but obviously I haven’t and feel so bad now for coming late to the party! And what a wonderful party it is!! That video of Darren being slightly 😉 drunk and very relaxed is golden! 😄 And I love all the duckfits, eh outfits.😉 Especially that beautiful sunshine yellow coat and the bathing suit. The photos and the model are looking perfect as always! 😄 I’ve never eaten any flowers before but might try it – my begonia is begging me not too though. 😁😉
    Love the still life you two create, it really looks like a painting! And that staircase is awesome! The rust brown has such a nice effect.😊
    I hope you’re enjoying your break, dear friend. I’m slowly getting back to WP land by catching up on you guys. 😄 Have a lovely weekend! 💕

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    1. Awe… You are so sweet Sarah. Thank you my friend! I feel a bit guilty for taking such a long break from social media, but I had urgent problems to deal with, including computer stuff. A nightmare. I try to make it less painful by working in my garden and drinking iced tea. It works. Things are better now, but I still have a lot of work to do. I lost some posts and many links are gone. Thanks for your lovely email BTW. I will reply to you this weekend and I will do some catching up on my blog reading. Much love dear friend! 💕

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    2. Don’t feel guilty for your social media break, dear friend – it’s necessary at times and everyone will understand. The best thing you can do, is to enjoy it as much as you can! 🙂
      THat’s so bad about some of your post having been lost – I once wasn’t able to access my blog at all, it was a real nightmare! The solution was easy in the end though – I had to update my internet browser, LOL!
      Wish you a beautiful weekend, dear friend! Much love back to you! ❤

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    3. I took your advice and I am enjoying every minute of it! Lost blog posts… Strange isn’t it but it doesn’t matter anymore. There are more important things in life. Spending time with my family is one of them. I really needed that social media break and I feel energized now. Speak with you soon dear friend. xoxo

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    4. I’m so glad to hear that this break did you much good – I know exactly how you feel! And I’m so happy to hear that you’re now buzzing with new energy – can’t wait to see all your new projects!!! 😀 xoxo

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  21. As always, it’s inspiring to visit your place. We haven’t seen any new posts for a while. I hope you are doing fine in these special times (well, just saw above that you have been taking a break. Good to read that things are better).

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