As well as borage, other common names include bee bush, tailwort, bugloss, burrage, bee-bread, ox’s tongue and starflower. 

The name bee bush is accurate, as this plant is a wonderful bee magnet. 

A patch of borage growing in your vegetable garden will not only look good but will be instrumental in the pollination of all the plants around it. 

This plant is a great self-seeder, so really once bought and planted it will self-perpetuate. 

If too many grow – give them away or weed them out. 

Easy to grow and quickly established, this plant, with masses of vivid blue flowers, is extremely ornamental.

Give it a well-drained position and watch it grow.  

Best planted after the frosts now is a great time to source seed or even dig up young seedlings to keep protected until after winter. 

If you don’t want to do this, then just keep this plant in mind for obtaining and planting in the spring. 

I have noticed quite a few young plants popping up in our garden beds at Wodonga TAFE.  

Make sure they are grown in an open and sunny position, they will tolerate a bit of shade but won’t succeed in heavy shade.

Borage flowers are good for use as a garnish. 

The blue flowers look great in salads and have a light flavour like a cucumber. 

One great advantage of borage is the leaves are very good to add to the compost. 

They break down quickly and contain both calcium and potassium. 

These nutrients are then present in the compost material you’ll be using in your garden. 

This compost would be terrific around tomato plants and might help reduce blossom end rot - a condition caused by a lack of calcium.

Ornamental, bee attracting, salad garnish – three fantastic virtues for a wonderful cottage-style plant. 

It flowers for months and months giving a great splash of blue to the garden. 

Its only negative is the bristly hairs on the leaves – but do as any good gardener would, just reach for your gardening gloves before you work with this plant.

Wodonga TAFE has a half day course in basic propagation on Thursday, April 27. Try growing a wide range of plants using various techniques. A fun and informative hands-on workshop. Running from 9.30am until 12.30pm. Cost is $50. 

For more information call 1300 MY TAFE (I300 698 233) or email AgHort@wodongatafe.edu.au. Feel free to call into the Agriculture/Horticulture Department in University Drive, West Wodonga, and chat to the staff.