Native+Invasive Plant Dye

Colours literally surround us. There is something magical about being able to extract shades of colours from wildflowers, leaves, roots, barks and, yes, even weeds that grow around you. Curly Dock boils to a lovely brick red shade. Goldenrod presents a brilliant yellow, more vibrant than turmeric. Burdock surprises you with a bright lime--green. Black Eyed Susans transform into a metallic dark green--grey. And Wood Sorrels magically produce shades of lemonade pink. These are just a small few examples that will mesmerise you and re-capture that child wonder hidden deep inside us. Wherever you are, each locality has a specific colour palette.

All plant matters are collected responsibly. Whether on a walking trail, in a field, an abandoned car park or in my garden, I forage for native plant materials that have either fallen to the ground or are growing in great abundance in that area.

As for weeds----they are surely the most misunderstood and misrepresented plants. I believe that all plants have a purpose, and they all contain colours. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time to figure out the best way to coax their true colours out. Some of the most beautiful shades of yellows, greens, and reds are from plants that are labeled as noxious / invasive weeds.