Meet the neighbours · herb
Borage
A hardy, self-seeding annual with prickly stems and purple-to-blue flowers that bees love — and a workhorse companion plant.
Borage is the bee's favourite neighbour. Its star-shaped flowers range from purple to blue, and the leaves carry a light, cucumbery freshness.
Borage is an excellent garden companion — planted near tomatoes, it deters the tomato hornworm; near brassicas, it repels cabbage moth caterpillars. It's also good near strawberries (though it can get tall, so just a few plants along the edge of the patch is enough) and attracts pollinators when planted near squash and cucumbers. It's deer-proof, and rich in organic potassium and calcium, making it excellent for soil and compost.
How to grow it
- Hardy, self-seeding annual — once you have it, you will likely always have it.
- Bees adore the flowers; let some plants bloom for the pollinators.
- Excellent companion for tomatoes (deters tomato hornworm), brassicas (repels cabbage moth caterpillars), squash, cucumbers, and strawberries.
- Deer-proof and rich in organic potassium and calcium — great for soil and compost.
How to use & eat it
- Chop young leaves sparingly into salads for a cool, cucumber-like note.
- Lightly steam older leaves to remove the prickly texture before eating.
Makes friends with
Companion planting is just good neighbouring — these do better beside Borage.
Other neighbours
- TomatoThe loud, generous neighbour who shows up with more than you asked for.