Borage, bees and potatoes

“It maketh a man merrie and joyfull. Use the floures in sallads to exhilarate and make the minde glad. Use everywhere for the comfort of the heart, for driving away sorrow and increasing the joy of the minde. The leaves and floures of Borage put into wine make men and women glad and merrie and drive away all sadness, dulnesse and melancholie. Syrup made of the floures of Borage comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholie and quieteth the phrenticke and lunaticke person.”
-- John Gerard, 16th century Herbalist



I lived in the 16th century, the words above seem so familiar to me and this morning, I was reading a herbal book and the picture plates, rang bells of memory for me. And I love borage. It is one of my favourite herbs. The borage in my garden, started off as one small seedling about 4 years ago. I was in the nursery looking at some to buy and a lady came up to me and said 'don't buy that, I have it all over my garden. I will give you some.' So she came to my home a few days later with a small plant..over the years it has self seeded all over the place. And I don't care. I love it.. there is just something so medieval about it... it takes me back to times past

I love the gorgeous blue flowers, as do the bees... every day the bees are busy amongst the borage. I have it planted near my strawberries as a companion plant. The borage faeries keep me company, while I garden. Just yesterday, when I was working in my vegie garden, I looked over at the borage and I could feel faery magick.. it was so strong. Sometimes, I can close my eyes and I can become one with the borage... it is like we have an energy exchange. I wonder when I do that, if I am actually taking on the healing properties of the borage? . . . .

In Elizabethan England, it was considered to lift melancholy. Culpeper said 'the candied or jellied flowers comfort the heart and spirits of those who are sick from consumption or from the passions of the heart'. Borage flowers in the house help bring about domestic tranquility and a cup of borage tea can help with feelings of vulnerability and disjointedness.

the Celtic name for it, barrach, means "man of courage" and obviously focuses on borage's psychological effects. A tea of borage flowers and mint is especially cooling in the summer. Try freezing the flowers in an ice cube for a nice garnish to iced tea, especially if you have a suitor. According to folklore, if the person drinking the tea is someone you would like to marry, it will give them the courage to propose. Borage is also known as tailwort, bee's bread, and starflower. read more about the magickal herb here BORAGE

I was quite busy in the garden yesterday. I planted the first of my potatoes - my spunta tubers. I also pruned a few of my lemon trees and mulched around them in readiness for summer. I filled my bird baths with water, netted over my strawberries so those pesky possums don't eat them all & I pruned the last of my roses.
last night I went to visit mum. She is doing really well- showering herself now, taking short walks and I am just amazed at how well she looks. No more of the grey colour that she had before her operation.... i know she is better - she is a little cantankerous ! ha! but ya gotta love her... This morning it is raining, so no garden for me today. I think I will play in my art room. and by the way - all the borage photos in this post, were taken in my garden
*~* I hope your day is filled with butterflies, magick, colour & fripperies! ~*~