A fast-growing annual herb with rough, hairy leaves and starry blue flowers that feed pollinators and can end up in your salad or your drink.
In Nature’s Acre, borage belongs to the rougher, harder-working corners of the garden — places where the soil has been disturbed and you need something that will move in quickly, feed the bees, and make the whole space look alive.
Borage is one of those plants that can make a bare or tired patch of soil feel busy again. It shoots up quickly, covers ground with foliage and flowers, then leaves behind a new generation of seedlings for the following year.
In a Nature’s Acre-style garden, you can use borage as a nurse plant in beds where you want fast colour and insect activity while slower perennials establish. It is also at home in the veg garden, where pollinators visiting borage often move straight on to beans, courgettes and other crops.
A small patch of borage can be a busy feeding station on warm days, particularly for bees that key in on its blue flowers.
If you enjoy its habit, simply allow a few plants to seed each year and edit out any that appear where they’re not wanted.
Traditionally used in herbal medicine. Young leaves and flowers are edible and can be added to salads or drinks. As with any herb, use in moderation and check up-to-date guidance if you are pregnant, on medication or have existing health conditions.