Of course we garnish when we can -- the visual experience is the first "taste" sensation.

I try to garnish with elements of the meal itself. For example, last night I served:
- frittata sprinkled with sesame seeds, then broiled to toast the seeds.
- brown rice generously topped with slivered almonds I had toasted in smoked paprika
- broccoli with a lemon wedge, because I like lots of lemon and The Fella likes a little lemon.

The dinner looked beautiful and required no extra last minute rummaging around for a "garnish" because every bit (and bite) was part of the meal.

I do often add something just before serving: a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, a few tiny home-pickled onions, a dusting of ground nuts, a dotting with bright green parsley oil, a dot of cream on a creamy soup. But I'm not sure these elements are, strictly speaking, garnishes --- they're ingredients or condiments.

If crumbled bacon atop white bean soup counts as garnish, then yes, I garnish. :)

I eat the parsley garnish.

I recently made a very simple saffron pasta, in which finely minced flat-leaf parsley was a key ingredient. I laid a single sprig of parsley over the top, both to add a bit more color to contrast the yellow-orange color from the saffron as well as to indicate its presence in the dish. Though it was meant to be pushed to the side during the eating, I still think it served a purpose.

I use things like thyme garnishes in potatoes as visual company to the crushed tiny thyme leaves and flowers that are accenting the dish. In a pasta sauce featuring fresh italian flat leaf parsley I sometimes leave a whole sprig.

I used to ALWAYS eat the parsley garnish. Mmmm. But then one time I guess the chef assumed that no one eats it so it doesn't need to be washed. CRUNCH. Full of sand and dirt. Gross. So that kind of put me off of eating it for the most part. But if it looks clean, I might take the occasional nibble!

To me, garnishes have come a long way since the parsley on the plate (and I honestly don't remember seeing that anywhere in a long time). Now it's still a visual element, but it also adds to the flavor. And being added at the last minute, it holds its distinct character instead of having been cooked into the dish. Even the formerly silly parsley garnish brings a fresh flavor to the plate when finely chopped and sprinkled over the food.

For me, the garnish must serve at least one purpose more than visual interested. It has to be somehow related to what's on the plate/in the bowl by adding textural contrast or flavor complement/contrast. But I do love what garnishes can add to a dish!

Most despised garnish? Mint on dessert. Unless it meets the above criteria, I just find it annoying.

We were taught in Food History class that the garnish, usually a sprig of parsley, was put on the plates to attact the bugs away from the food.

I try to remember to garnish and when I do, I use garnishes that can be part of the dish, or relate to the dish in some way.

However, many times, I've got a hungry guy impatiently waiting and very little time for plating. Most often, I barely get time to slap it on a plate before he starts chowing down, garnishes be-damned!

I was always under the impression that the garnish was intended to clear the palate before whatever you were abut to eat. I always eat it first!

Whenever I get an orange slice as a garnish I always squeeze it over something on the plate that looks like it would be happy with a hit of citrus. French toast comes to mind for some reason.

And, yes, I garnish when I do the cooking as well. I usually stick to garnishes that echo some component of the dish and/or complements the flavor or texture.

I garnish on occasion, and I eat it the garnish. I don't like random garnishes though: the garnish should either "echo" flavor notes in the dish or go with and not clash with the dish. I DESPISE mint on desserts! I take it as a sign of lazy plating.

I am sorry, but is that actually parsley on a full english breakfast? I think that is slightly overkill.

personally, I am with everyone else--a garnish that fits with the dish is something I'll try to do, even if it is just freshly ground parmesan on pasta.

I do however really like mint on desert, but that is just because I really like the taste of fresh mint.

Never garnish my meal myself, and to @Icg as ridiculous as it is I have seen parsley on a full English breakfast.

I think a crime worse than random parsley is when they give you a "side salad" which is nothing but sad looking lettuce with one piece of tomato and perhaps a rogue slice of red onion, at least unnecessary garnish doesn't pretend to be an actual part of the meal.

I have nothing to add except an anecdote: when I was a kid, whenever we'd be served something with a parsley garnish on it, my Papoo (grandpa) would say:

"That stuff kills rabbits, you know!"

Every time. Every single time. So whenever I see parsley on a plate, I silently think to myself, "That stuff kills rabbits, you know!"

...But does it?

I love garnishes that entice you to try a dish, especially something unexpected: like a disc of baked Lotus Root on roast chicken, a couple crispy kale chips atop some lentil soup, fried shallots sprinkled on black beans or edible flowers on a salad.
I sometimes garnish meals at home when I've worked hard on the dish, to make the other diners feel extra special.

I love eating eating garnish parsley, as long as it is good quality.