Bergamot is commonly known as Bee Balm, produce curious flowers that vary in shades from pink to lavender. These flowers appear in July and August above stout, strong stems bearing aromatic leaves. The leaves are excellent in tea, reminiscent of the distinct flavour to Earl Grey blends. Plants grow to a height of 60-90cm (24-36"), and those that don't survive as perennials in Coastal gardens will likely self-sow. All bergamots are highly attractive to beneficial pollinators like butterflies and wild bees. Hummingbirds will stage territorial fights to stake their claims over a wild bergamot plant in full bloom.

This hybrid Italian beefsteak produces high yields of large 10-12 oz ‘beefy’ fruits that have great flavour for such a large tomato. Vigorous, indeterminate plants. Good disease resistance to common tomato diseases and produces right up until frost. Maturity 73 days from transplanting.

Large, fuzzy, cucumber-scented leaves and vivid blue flowers attract bees all summer long. Usually grown for the bees and flowers, young leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in salads. Also known as the star flower because of the arrangement of its petals, the flowers have a light cucumber flavour and will stun with their vivid blue petals. Toss into salads and baby greens, add to avocado prawn vinaigrette, or sprinkle onto cold soups. A dramatic use is to make ice cubes with the petals frozen into them and drop into cold drinks. Borage seeds contain oils with the highest concentration (20% to 30%) of the fatty acid GLA, even higher than Evening Primrose. Altogether a versatile, attractive and useful herb, add starry blue flowers to salads, drinks, berry desserts for zing. Borage may self sow. It is attractive to bumblebees that must buzz at a certain resonance to release a jet of pollen.

Chives are an herb, related to onions and garlic, with long green stems and a mild, not-too-pungent flavour. Chop these up to add to your salad, omelette or stir-fry.