From the Apothecary: Borage

Borago officinalis — one of the most cheerful and generous plants in the herb garden, and one with a skincare secret that most people don't know about. Those vivid blue star-shaped flowers are reason enough to grow it. The oil pressed from its seeds is reason enough to keep it in the apothecary.

What It Is

A hardy annual native to the Mediterranean, borage self-seeds so freely that once you've grown it, you'll always have it. It grows quickly to around 60–90cm, with large, bristly leaves and brilliant blue flowers that bloom prolifically from early summer and are irresistible to bees. It's one of the easiest and most rewarding plants you can put in a British garden.

Borage Seed Oil — The Skincare Ingredient Worth Knowing

The plant itself is useful, but the real apothecary story with borage is the oil pressed from its seeds. Borage seed oil is one of the richest plant sources of GLA — gamma-linolenic acid — a fatty acid that plays an important role in maintaining the skin's natural barrier.

GLA is found in relatively few plant oils, which is what makes borage seed oil notable. It's used in natural skincare formulations for dry, mature, or sensitive skin — particularly skin that feels tight, rough, or prone to irritation. It's a deeply nourishing oil that absorbs well and doesn't feel heavy.

You'll find it listed as Borago officinalis seed oil on INCI ingredient lists — if you see it in a facial oil or balm, it's there for a reason.

Using Borage Seed Oil at Home

Borage seed oil is best used as part of a blend rather than neat — it's potent and a little goes a long way. A simple facial oil can be made by blending it with a lighter carrier oil:

Simple Borage Facial Oil:

• 10ml borage seed oil
• 40ml jojoba or rosehip oil
• Optional: 3–4 drops lavender essential oil

Combine in a dark glass bottle and shake gently. Apply 3–4 drops to clean, slightly damp skin morning or evening. Use within 6 months.

Note: borage seed oil is not pressed from the leaves or flowers of the plant you grow in the garden — it's a cold-pressed seed oil available from specialist suppliers. The garden plant and the skincare oil come from the same species but are used quite differently.

The Flowers — In the Kitchen & Home

The flowers are edible and beautiful — use to decorate salads, cakes, and summer drinks. They have a mild cucumber flavour and are traditionally frozen into ice cubes for Pimm's. Fresh flowers are stunning in floral arrangements, and dried borage flowers add a beautiful blue note to pot pourri — though the colour fades over time.

In the Garden

Borage is one of the best companion plants you can grow — it deters certain pests, attracts pollinators in large numbers, and is said to improve the flavour of strawberries grown nearby. It's also extraordinarily low-maintenance. Sow it once and it will look after itself indefinitely through self-seeding.

Fancy Growing Your Own?

Sow direct where it is to grow from April onwards — borage dislikes being transplanted. It prefers a sunny position in well-drained soil but is remarkably tolerant and will grow almost anywhere. Thin seedlings to 30cm apart. Deadhead if you want to control its spread, or leave it to self-seed freely and it will fill gaps in the border year after year.

Pick flowers as they open for the freshest flavour and colour. Young leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season — older leaves become too bristly to eat raw but can be cooked like spinach or added to soups.

Borage is the herb garden's open secret — easy to grow, beautiful in flower, useful in the kitchen, and quietly remarkable in the apothecary. The blue flowers alone are worth it. The seed oil is a bonus worth knowing about.