He was tall, green and handsome, the perfect basil plant, and she was a blushing tomato, a country girl at heart.
Tomatoes love basil' is one of the great companion planting fallacies.
There are a lot of companion planting myths around - like growing marigolds to repel nematodes. Marigolds can repel nematodes - they'll repel them away from the marigold roots, and right into the arms of the poor flowers or vegies you're trying to protect. In fact it's often hard to tell whether companion planting works or not. Most people who practice companion planting are exceptional, caring gardeners. When their loving touch gets rid of pests, produces blooms that stun the neighbours or cabbages as large as watermelons, they praise companion planting.