Herb-Lover's Salad

In a large bowl of cold water, add the salad greens. After a few minutes, lift the greens out and discard the water. Dunk the greens again, if needed, to remove any dirt or sand particles. Drain the greens in a colander.

Place the greens on a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels; gently pat dry. (Or use a salad spinner. Place the greens in the basket and turn the handle to spin the greens dry.) Wrap dried greens in a dry kitchen towel or paper towels; refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to several hours to crisp.

In a screw-top jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, tarragon, marjoram, chives, and garlic. Cover; shake well to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. (Or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving; shake well.)

Gently wash the flowers in water. Drain; place on paper towels and let air-dry or gently blot dry. Use immediately.

To serve, arrange the greens on a large serving platter or in a salad bowl. Arrange edible flowers on top of greens. Shake the vinaigrette well; drizzle desired amount over the salad. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Pass additional vinaigrette, if you like. Cover and store any remaining vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving; shake well. Makes 4 to 6 servings.