What a wet day! However, luckily for us we were comfortably ensconced inside a cosy Oxfordshire countryside Inn being treated to a delicious lunch, courtesy eldest son and family.
Borage is a lovely plant to grow in the garden, an added bonus being that it is a great magnet to both bees and butterflies.
Although native to the Mediterranean region it grows well in most parts of northern Europe, and in fact worldwide . It is one of the many plants that arrived in Britain courtesy the Romans. It's common names are starflower, bee bush, bee bread, and is non-invasive. It is a medicinal herb with edible leaves, flowers, and stems which taste similar to cucumber. The young leaves can be mixed with other salad leaves and the edible flowers look very attractive when scattered across the top of a salad when entertaining. Popping some borage flowers into your ice cube tray will give your cooling summer drinks an added appeal.
Borage has been used for centuries due to its curative properties. The Romans appreciated the plant for its ability to enhance courage and endurance. During the middle ages European herbalists used borage to treat a wide array of ailments, including fevers, respiratory issues, and digestive disorders.
In recent years, borage has experienced a revival of interest, as researches delve into its potential health advantages. Studies have started to uncover the numerous ways that it can support wellness and alleviate various health conditions.
Interesting, the history and health properties of borage -- thanks!
ReplyDeleteI always think that it is interesting just how many flowers and trees do in fact have properties that can be useful to our health.
DeleteI would have been very impressed, had I been given a box of mixed wildflower seeds courtesy of the local Wildlife Trust! How did you win their honour? Borago officinalis is not a flower I am familiar with, but they look very special indeed.
ReplyDeleteI too would have planted the seeds all around my large gardens but I am never certain that they are going to flower beautifully. It takes a magic touch.
Apparently Borage actually grows better when grown from a seed. We made a contribution to their local conservation projects but did not expect to receive some seeds and a thank you.
DeleteBorage is a lovely plant! It grows well over here in my New England region too. Your photos as always are lovely to see!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comment Daydreamer - Borage flowers are very attractive.
DeleteHello Rosemary, Borage is a charming plant. One sometimes sees it growing wild in the U.S., although it is not a native. Your photos always look like they should be illustrating a wildflower guide or even a coffee-table book.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - I have wanted to have Borage growing in the garden for a long time, so I am really pleased with the unexpected packet of seeds that we received.
DeleteOnly yesterday I transplanted some self sown Borage to another (more suitable) part of the garden. I didn't realise that there was a white form. Must look out for it.
ReplyDeleteThe white flowers are apparently rarer.
DeleteWhat an interesting plant, with very attractive flowers. I do not think I have ever seen it, but will look out now, and wonder if we will see more medicinal usage. Lunch at a country inn sounds delightful, despite the rain. We enjoyed them very much on our trips to the UK.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely treat for us both and the inn was really cosy.
DeleteI love borage and didn’t realise you could have a white version. I’m clearly not using mine to it’s full potential. Love the idea of using it in ice cubes. B x
ReplyDeleteThe flowers look really attractive encased in the ice cubes and so easy to achieve.
DeleteBorage sounds interesting Rosemary. The flowers are nice to see.
ReplyDeleteIt's good you had time with your son and his family.
Really pretty flowers Margaret.
DeleteI didn't know that borage leaves are edible. I think I might have to find space in my garden for a small patch.
ReplyDeleteThe stems too and the flowers Cherie.
DeleteHi Rosemary, I used to grow blue borage when I had a garden. I loved the subtle cucumber flavour of the small leaves and the flowers look beautiful in both the garden and a tall gin & tonic :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Pip - gin & tonic with borage flowers - sounds perfect.
DeleteNo takers for the garden seats, I notice! It's amazing how much "pub grub" has improved in recent years, something which my brother and I take advantage of at every opportunity.
ReplyDeleteA foodie evolution appears to have taken hold all across the country.
DeleteIt’s encouraging to see native species flourishing in gardens, Rosemary. If we are ever going to restore some of our native landscapes we are going to need more gardeners to accept the challenge. It is happening here, but very slowly.
ReplyDeleteThat is true David - many wild plants are not only attractive to have growing in the garden but they are useful too, and above all they are so important for the birds, insects, bees and butterflies too.
DeleteI've heard of it, read of it's medicinal properties in wildflower books but have never seen the white version until now as it's always been a blue illustration in them. I enjoy UK rain nowadays, especially seeing what other countries are getting all summer, wet vegetation being much harder to burn.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree - Canada is experiencing its worst ever wildfire season, and officials there estimate that more than 34.6m acres have already burned i.e roughly the size of Greece.
DeleteOh so interesting about the borage! What an amazing plant!
ReplyDeleteLove from Titti
I am so happy to have both the blue and white Borage flourishing in the garden.
DeleteQuite a downpour!
ReplyDeleteHappily the rain has kepted our garden growing well during this summer.
DeleteBy chance - and before reading your post - I saw some borage in a beautiful garden in Fürth, Bavaria, today.
ReplyDeleteI love the blue of the flowers so much, (for me a "holy" blue as in Marien-Bilder) and their smell (in Germany Boretsch is called Gurkenkraut = cucumber herb. )
Here we need some rain - since days temperature is around 33 ° Celsius - that is a bit exhausting...
(But will change next week, they say. And in Nuremberg some cars stood up to the top in water as a severe weather came unexpectedly. ).
Fortunately we have been on the edge of the searing hot weather that has caused so much damage from wild fires. Better rain than fire. Love your description of the blue borage flowers.
DeleteThat's a new one for me but I love it. And, an extra plus is that the bees love it. We gotta protect those bees.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are very attractive and being edible look especially pretty placed on a salad or in ice cubes.
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