British Flowers Week Day 2 - Stocks19 June 2018 Stocks or Matthiola are among many of our favourite flowers. Available in a range of pretty pinks, lilacs, purple, cream and white, with the most heavenly scent that fills a whole room, what’s not to love about them?! Stocks originate from the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. They came to Britain during the 16th Century and are named after Pietro Andrea Matthioli who first identified them. Stocks are part of the cabbage family and are related to Turnips and Broccoli – amazing how something so pretty can come from a Turnip! If you don’t change their water often enough you’ll soon realise that they are part of the cabbage family – it’s definitely not one of the most pleasant smells! Don’t let that put you off though, the flowers smell so, so wonderful of Cinnamon and Cloves you can forgive them for their stinky water. Top tip – always keep your stock water fresh and keep re-cutting the stems at an angle. Stock flowers are edible and taste much like they smell. They are a little bit spicy and have a similar flavour to a Radish. They are very flavourful and can be added to salads or used as a garnish. The seedpods are also edible before they dry out. You can’t eat the leaves or the roots so stay away from those! Stocks are available from March to August so have a pretty long season compared to other seasonal flowers but their availability, like most other flowers depends on the weather. Stocks represent lasting beauty and symbolise a happy life. We’re never happier than when we have a shop full of stocks!