(Photo courtesy to Pioneer Press: Donna Erickson)

"You can have your cake and blossoms, too," was the greeting my friend Janet proclaimed when she arrived for coffee on my deck last week.

Carrying a freshly baked blueberry-lime poundcake (recipe from Fine Cooking magazine), the allure of her culinary presentation wasn't just about the yummy cake. Surrounding the confection were eye-popping orange and yellow organic nasturtiums. The delightful decoration of natural blooms she had just picked from her garden turned a simple get-together into an event.

Tap into the power of fresh flowers that are in full bloom right now.

Let your kids pick their favorites and enjoy "flower play" as you create something together. It can be as easy as tossing rose petals down the center of your dinner table. Here are some other ideas:

  • Set a pretty bloom and floating candles in a clear glass bowl or wide-mouthed vase half-filled with water. Set on a patio table and light the candles for an al fresco supper.

  • Tuck an aromatic gardenia in your daughter's hair for an eye-catching 'do. No need for perfume; rely on nature's floral scent.

  • Press a flower in a summer journal. It will be a welcome keepsake when you thumb through the pages next winter.

  • Make a basic floral arrangement in a water-filled vase following the simple principle of using a focal flower, such as a rose, and adding a few smaller flowers, such as daisies, along with a pretty vine or hosta leaves. When kids do the creating, the
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    look will be less contrived and more informal. Name the flowers as you clip and arrange them together.

  • At a family party, top an ice-cream cone or cupcakes with edible flowers, such as pansies and johnny-jump-ups. Or, for a unique presentation, arrange a few nontoxic flowers in a narrow jar or vase and place it in the center space of an angel food cake.

    Donna Erickson's award-winning television series, "Donna's Day," is airing on public television nationwide. Watch it in the Twin Cities at 7:30 a.m. Fridays on tptLife on channels 13 and 17. Sign up for Donna's e-newsletter at donnasday.com. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."