Borage: The Star of the Heritage Kitchen Garden

The Heritage Kitchen Garden collection continues with this week's featured linocut - the stunning borage plant (Borago officinalis). This remarkable herb, with its vibrant star-shaped flowers, has been capturing gardeners' hearts for centuries. The distinctive downward-facing star flowers with their extraordinary electric-blue petals are a true wonder of the British kitchen garden.

A History Steeped in Courage

Borage carries with it a fascinating history, earning the nickname 'herb of courage' during medieval times. The old saying 'borage for courage' dates back to the Crusades, when knights would fortify themselves before battle with wine infused with these brilliant blue flowers. The Roman scholar Pliny even believed it could "make men and women glad and merry."

At traditional English summer gatherings, you'll often spot borage flowers floating in Pimm's cups. This tradition wasn't merely decorative; it's an echo of the old belief borage would "make the heart merry and drive away melancholy." A perfect sentiment for summer celebrations.

Perfect for Today's Kitchen Gardener

What makes borage particularly special for modern growers is its versatility. The striking blue flowers freeze beautifully in ice cubes for summer drinks, while young leaves add a subtle cucumber flavour to salads. It's also one of the absolute best plants for attracting pollinators to your vegetable patch.

For busy gardeners, borage offers another advantage - it thrives on neglect! Simply sow directly where you want it to grow, as it dislikes root disturbance. Once established, it will happily self-seed. Consider planting it near strawberries and tomatoes, where tradition holds it improves both their growth and flavour.

This linocut is part of my ongoing Heritage Kitchen Garden collection, celebrating the plants that have graced British gardens for generations. Each print aims to capture not just the visual beauty of these plants, but their stories and practical uses that connect us to our gardening heritage.

The original linocut print of Borage is available as notecards and prints in my shop. Stay tuned for the next plant in the Heritage Kitchen Garden collection!