I know some of you will identify with a bladder infection keeping you up all night.
I eventually discovered that drinking gallons of what we call Rooibos tea – known to others as Redbush – gave me some relief, than I remembered that nasturtiums are the number one antibiotic herb for the urinary tract as they contain Vitamin C and antioxidants.
My neighbour has loads, so off I went to ask him for some.
Nasturtium seedlings
Very kindly he gave me both seedlings and fresh leaves and flowers.
I immediately started chewing them, and we had them cooked in chilli bites, and then in a salad on our veggie burgers.
Nasturtiums planted
Meanwhile, I have a spare bed in the garden which obviously had their name on it, so in they went.
They will grow bigger, so I shall separate them when they are more established and hopefully have a huge patch of them somewhere in the sunshine.
Miriam was born in Lewes, East Sussex, in 1948. For the last 76 years her life has revolved around the gift of music. At college in the 60s, she learned the guitar and became enamoured with folk songs, which led to a 4 year career as 'Miriam Backhouse.' The First Lady of Folk”. She still tours Europe every Summer. In 1977 she married John Erasmus and moved to South Africa. Miriam and John (who died in May 2023) shared a love of music and raised a family on these talents, playing music from Opera to Rock’n’Roll and Nursery Rhymes! Her life has trodden many paths: musician, sound worker, educator, model, seamstress, puppeteer, actress, wife, mother and grandmother. Now, Miriam is a journalist, and shares her adventures in South Africa and on her travels.
