Natural dye plants grown and used at Everwilde

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Orange cosmos are grown from seed in my garden, where their earliest leaves look so much like ragweed that they’re nearly pulled by mistake each spring! Patience pays off as they mature into tall stems topped with bright, sunlit blooms.

When used as a natural dye, orange cosmos produce soft golden yellows and warm oranges, with gentle variations shaped by the season and the conditions of each harvest. Working with these flowers is a quiet collaboration with nature, carrying the warmth of the garden and the care poured into every step.

Black Magic bachelor button starts as a small, silvery-leaved seedling that often goes unnoticed in the garden. By mid-summer, it blooms into dark, velvety flowers with hints of purple and blue, revealing its quiet elegance.

As a dye plant, it produces cool, moody tones with depth and subtle variation. Working with Black Magic bachelor button requires patience and attention, and the colors it yields reflect both the plant’s presence and the care given during cultivation and harvest.

Black Knight scabiosa grows low and quietly at first, before sending up long stems topped with deep, wine-colored blooms. The petals appear nearly black, with soft, velvety texture and subtle complexity up close.

In dyeing, it produces muted, layered blue and green tones with natural variation that evoke the richness of the garden itself. Harvesting and working with Black Knight scabiosa is a slow, attentive process, and the resulting color carries the story of time, care, and the plant’s subtle beauty.

Black Hopi sunflower seeds are grown and gathered at the end of the season, once the tall plants have fully dried in the garden. The dark seeds are dense and abundant, carrying the weight of a full summer’s growth.

The seeds produce deep, earthy tones with quiet complexity. The color shifts with time, temperature, and process, resulting in shades that feel grounded and understated rather than uniform.

Working with the seeds closes the growing cycle, returning to what was saved and set aside. The dye they create reflects patience, restraint, and the slow accumulation of care from one season to the next.

Japanese indigo begins as a small, unassuming seedling and fills out into lush, leafy plants over the course of summer. It asks for careful attention and timing, rewarding the gardener with an abundance of verdant foliage.

When used as a natural dye, it produces a range of blues, from soft sky tones to rich, saturated shades. The process is delicate and responsive, with color emerging in its own time. Working with Japanese indigo teaches presence, patience, and respect for the plant from seed to dye vat.

Black-eyed Susan was a gift for my plant-themed bridal shower, and it now grows in my garden as a living reminder of that day. Its golden petals and dark centers radiate warmth and cheer, brightening both garden and dye pot.

As a dye plant, it produces a range of greens and earthy browns, with subtle variation in every batch. Working with Black-eyed Susan carries the memory of that celebration into each project, infusing the colors with friendship, generosity, and care.

French marigolds grow quietly in my garden, their layered, sunlit petals bringing small bursts of energy and warmth long before they reach the dye pot. Cheerful, resilient, and easy to tend, they are a gentle delight both in the garden and in the dye studio.

When used as a natural dye, French marigolds yield a spectrum of colors, from soft golden yellows to glowing oranges. Each batch carries subtle variations shaped by the season, the weather, and the care taken during harvest, resulting in shades that are vibrant, lively, and full of character.

Dyer’s coreopsis starts as a low-growing, sunny plant in the garden, soon flowering with red rimmed golden blooms that attract bees and brighten the garden beds. The flowers are generous and easy to harvest at peak bloom.

When used as a dye, it produces luminous yellows and golds, with gentle shifts between batches. Working with dyer’s coreopsis is a joyful, hands-on experience, allowing the garden’s brightness to be carried into fabric and fiber.

Woad grows as sturdy, blue-green rosettes in the garden before sending up tall flowering stalks. Closely related to Japanese indigo, its leaves are harvested at their peak for maximum color, and its seeds—produced every other year—can also be used as a subtle natural dye. Careful attention to timing and processing is key to bringing out the plant’s full potential.

As a dye, woad produces a deep, serene blue that shifts with leaf quality, season, and fermentation, creating rich, layered shades.

Madder is grown carefully from root, with long, thin strands developing slowly over the season. The plant requires patience, as it takes three full years before the roots are ready to harvest, making each batch a long-awaited reward.

When used as a natural dye, madder produces warm reds, terracottas, and soft pinks, with subtle variations that deepen over time. Working with madder is a process of attentiveness and respect, connecting the gardener to a long tradition of natural color and the slow rhythm of the garden.