DYER’S HERBSCAPE

Since prehistoric times, colors from plants have been used throughout history to enhance people's lives -- for decorating animal skins, fabrics, crafts, hair and bodies.  Dyes made from plants tend to appear more subtle and muted and are used especially in coloring natural fabrics.  The colors produced from each plant may vary according to the type of mortant used.  Try growing a few of the following plants in your herb garden not only for their dyeing capabilities but also for their attractive flowers. Herbs are listed according to their most common dye colors.

 

Reds:

Bloodroot, bedstraw root, madder root, oregano leaves, alkanet root

 

Oranges:

Henna leaves, lily-of-the-valley leaves, sorrel leaves, tansy shoots

 

Yellows:

Agrimony leaves & flowers, barberry stems & roots, calendula flowers, dyer’s broom tops, goldenrod blooms, mint, safflower, saffron blooms, St. John’s wort, turmeric roots, weld, yarrow flowers

 

Violet:

Hibiscus flowers

 

Blue:

Wild indigo branches, cornflower, elecampane roots, woad

 

Green:

Hyssop leaves, sorrel leaves, sweet cicely stems & leaves

 

Brown:

Juniper berries, tea leaves

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.”
Psalm 24:1-2