Your Herb Garden. Barbara Segall

average care Spray with fungicide if affected by mildew in hot dry summers. If the plants are badly infected, cut off the foliage leaving the stems 7.5cm (3in) tall propagation Sow seed in spring under glass. Divide older clumps in spring. Take soft or semi-ripe cuttings from mature plants in summer harvest Pick the leaves during the growing season. Pick flowers to dry just as they begin to open herbal value The leaves make an excellent tea and may also be used in salads as a seasoning. Flowers keep their colourwell in dried arrangements

      BORAGE

      (Borago officinalis – Boraginaceae)

      Once associated with courage and happiness, today borage is appreciated for its profuse clusters of azure blue, starry flowers and its cucumber-flavoured leaves.

type	Hardy annual
flowers	Mid-blue, occasionally pink or white, star-like flowers appear in spring and summer
leaves	Grey-green, oval with pointed ends and wrinkled, bristly texture
height	75cm (30in)
spread	30–45cm (12–18in)
planting	Plant in spring
position	Open, sunny
soil	Light, dry, stony
care	Prune after flowering, to keep tidy
propagation	Sow seed in autumn for spring flowers, or in spring for summer flowers. Borage self seeds freely