Borage

Borage Flower

Cindy planted some Borage in the raised bed as a "companion plant" for the Sugar Snap and Oregon Giant Peas, the Delicata Squash and some of the tomatoes in the hope that it would attract bees to pollinate the squash and tomatoes.

The borage plant has delicate blue flowers and large, hairy leaves.  The young leaves can be used in salads and the flowers are sometimes used in martinis.  The larger leaves can be used in compost.

However, one aspect of planting borage is that the bees are apparently paying more attention to it than they are to the squash blossoms.   Another drawback is that it apparently self-seeds abundantly.  If you plant one borage plant, you may have borage again the next year.  Everywhere.

In fact, it sounds like borage may be a contender for world domination with the Thunbergia and the Clarkia that grow along our north fence.

Cindy may want to pick off those cute little blue flowers and add them to her martinis.