June 27, 2025
Good morning!
It’s Friday. We’ve been admiring the beguiling beauty of flowers all week, from that voluptuous pink peony to the singular clematis to yesterday’s dogwood dripping with creamy white flowers. Today I bring yet more beguiling beauty with a twist.
This is Borago officinalis, also known as borage or starflower. Sturdy and easy to grow, borage has gorgeous edible flowers and leaves that smell like cucumbers when crushed.
Over the centuries, herbalists have prescribed borage for everything from melancholy and insomnia to the common cold, gastritis, insect bites, and heart palpitations. Roman soldiers always had a few swigs of borage-infused wine before heading off into battle, leading to the saying, “borage for courage.”
Say what you will, but it’s rather fun to imagine all that growing in your garden. Oh, and the bees love it, too.
“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”
—David Attenborough
Respiteers, shall we gather in our imaginary pavilion this afternoon? I have a fun language question for you. As always, check your inbox right before 2pm EDT.
Onwards,
Clara
The natural world is the source of so much that we should be doing everything to preserve it!
This is so true. David knows and his work helps us all embrace Mother Earth 🌎