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Like many gardeners, Julie Chai, associate garden editor of Sunset magazine, loves nasturtiums. Their seeds are readily available, they grow very easily in a variety of climates, and they reseed from year to year. Plus you can eat the leaves too.
I presonally love day lillies. It always blows people away when you are walking by some day lillies pick one that is not opened yet and take a bite out of it. they taste cimilar to something you would find in a salad. not bitter but not sweet either, more like a lettuce, taste primarily of water. Lovely and delicious!
Nasties have peppery foliage, especially the tender new leaves. Flowers add a colorful edible garnish. My mom always grew nasties just for her salads.
Most edible flowers don't have "great flavor", but are used to treat the eye, and enhance the dining experience. If you're going that route, you must know the ones that won't make you sick, hence the lists of "edible flowers".
Problem is nasturtiums, while edible, don't taste very good.
all the Dianthus ("pinks", carnations, dianthus species) are edible, and a little spicey, plus fragrant and colorful.
Calendulas (which used to be called Pot Marigold, as the greens were stewed as well) are mostly available in brilliant orange and yellow, but also some more pastel warm tones, are great.
Violas, Johnny Jump-Up, Pansies, Violets (but NOT African Violets)--all related--are...+READ
all the Dianthus ("pinks", carnations, dianthus species) are edible, and a little spicey, plus fragrant and colorful.
Calendulas (which used to be called Pot Marigold, as the greens were stewed as well) are mostly available in brilliant orange and yellow, but also some more pastel warm tones, are great.
Violas, Johnny Jump-Up, Pansies, Violets (but NOT African Violets)--all related--are fragrant as welll as colorful. You can candy violas or vilolets but They are not worth the effort IMO.
True Geranium (NOT Pelargoniums, the Grandma "geraniums") are members of the cranesbill family, and are dainty and edible.
Some of the culiary herbs like cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, chives, etc have beautiful and flavorful flowers. I love to put immature onion flowers in my salads.
It's always best to double check before using something you think May Be edible.
i.e.: Pea blooms are poisonous!-COLLAPSE
Nasturtiums don't grow everywhere--not in my little garden on the North side of my 4plex in KY-too little sun; not in our yard in TX--too hot and dry; not in our garden in central Germany--too cool.
There IS no one 'best' thing to plant. The climate and microclimate, as well s your habits and uses for the plants, all come into play in deciding what you should plant in your patch.