Borage

Striking ornamental with electric blue star-shaped flowers that face downward. Self-sows readily to create naturalistic drifts. Excellent for cottage gardens, wildflower meadows, and potager gardens. Flowers bloom continuously from early summer to frost.

Traditional adrenal tonic and mood lifter - borage for courage as the old saying goes. Leaves and flowers contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), beneficial for hormonal balance and skin health. Used historically for inflammation and respiratory conditions. Seed oil commercially valuable for GLA.

Young leaves taste distinctly of cucumber. Flowers are the culinary stars - crystallize for cake decorating, freeze in ice cubes for summer drinks, or use fresh in salads. Traditional ingredient in Pimm's cocktail garnish. Sweet, honey-like flavor with cucumber notes.

Exceptional pollinator plant - bees absolutely adore it. Flowers refill with nectar every 2 minutes. Excellent companion plant for tomatoes, squash, and strawberries. Deep taproot mines nutrients from subsoil. Leaves and stems make nutrient-rich mulch.

Annual herb 60-100cm tall with hollow, bristly stems. Leaves alternate, oval, covered in stiff white hairs giving silvery appearance. Distinctive star-shaped flowers 2-2.5cm across with five pointed petals, typically bright blue. Entire plant has cucumber scent when crushed.

Not applicable - herbaceous annual plant with no woody tissue. Hollow stems too weak for any structural use.

Medieval knights drank borage wine before battle for courage. The distinctive blue flowers contain anthocyanins that change color with pH - turning pink in acid conditions. One of few truly blue flowers in nature. Ancient Roman naturalist Pliny claimed it could induce euphoria.