Grow your own Natural Medicine Chest

Years ago most country folk had no truck with doctors or hospitals nor the money to spare for them. Instead they relied on what they had learned from their parents, and their parents before them, to cultivate their own simple remedies.
Rosemary… A lovely decorative and aromatic plant with its tall spikes and blue flowers. Pick a few sprigs and add them to your bath water to ease away aches and pain and clear your head; make a cup of rosemary tea – not too strong – and it will soothe a headache as well as make you feel more alert. Pop a few springs into hot water, allow to infuse then use as soothing foot bath or as the final rinse water to being glossy shine to dark hair.
Mint… again a lovely aromatic plant that grows and spread like wildfire …. Pick a hanful of leaves to make your own fresh mint tea – you can cool it and drink it chilled too – lovely on a hot day or if you have an upset stomach. It will also soothe a sore throat if you gargle it.
Lavender... – another beauty – it used always to be planted at the door to ward away fleas – it works well to keep the gnats and midges away too. Make an infusion of flowers and leaves for a wonderful natural antiseptic application for bites, burns and rashes, or a skin toner. Pick sprigs and when fully dry cover with 500ml of olive oil, simmer it gently, allow to cool and you have a healing oil to apply to irritated spots and cuts. Get a small muslin bag or old hankie and fill it with flower heads – tie it under your bath tap and let the hot water run through it to make a lovely scented bath.
Sage... fabulous for cooking as it packs powerful flavour. Pick a handful of leaves and boil in a small amount of water for 15 minutes. Cool the resulting tincture and use a soothing throat gargle, or sip to help ease hot flushes and tummy upsets.
Parsley... nature’s breath freshener is packed with Vitamin C and when the fresh leaves are chewed it is an excellent way to drive off garlic and onion breath.