June 25, 2006

Sunshine

With such lovely weather, I just can't bare staying indoors. So what better than a stroll in the garden, especially, when the garden is Kew Gardens



Magnificent Chestnut tree in full bloom


and it certainly calms the nerves before the England v Ecuador match. After what seems like years of renovations, Kew Palace was opened recently for the Queen's 80th birthday.



Front of Kew Palace



Lavender and Box hedging in the back gardens of Kew Palace





Back of Kew Palace



Formal gardens



Elizabeth Regina



Prince of Wales

We wandered into the Nosegay Garden, adjacent to Kew Palace. I went in search of dying plants, but instead found myself distracted by the mix of plants in the garden.

I've been fascinated by natural dyes since acquiring some of the Silkwood Hedgerow Sock yarns from the Woolly workshop. I love the subtle colours and slight varigation. I haven't tried dying yarn before, but I'm sure that natural plant dyes is going to be messier and much harder work than the modern acid dyes.



but ... if I plan properly, I might have a little dying border next year, right? ;-)





Calendula officinalis
"Common or Pot Marigold"
"The flowers were used in possels, brother and drinks as a comforter of the heart and spirits"


A source of colour for green, yellow and orange dyes. When used with chrome as the mordant, an orange dye is produced, using alum as the mordant yields a yellow dye and with copper, a green dye is obtained.





Rubia tinctorum
"Red Madder"
"the decoction of the roots of Madder everywhere commended for those that are bursten, brused, wounded and that have fallen from high places."

Madder is the source of the brilliant red permanent dye Turkey Red.




Galium verum

"Yellow Lady's Bedstraw"
"The root thereof being drunk in wine stirreth up bodily lust"


Named so because it was used to stuff mattresses. It is also a plant source for yellow dye.





Artemisia vulgaris

"Common Mugwoort"
"Mugwoort doth properly cure womens diseases"


I wonder what are "womens diseases"?
The flowering tops of mugwort are used by modern dyers in the production of a green dye, with alum and copper as mordants.




Hesperis matronalis
"Dame's Violet"
"The distilled water of the floures heereof is counted to be a most effectuall thing to procure sweate"

Heck, why take a potion if you want sweate? Just put on a jumper for goodness sakes.
I don't think this is useful for dying though.





Hedysarum coronarium
"Bucklet Hatchet Vetch"
"It is though to hinder conception if it is applied with honey before the act"


I don't think this is useful for dying either.




If the professionals, can't eradicate bindweed, what chance does this amateur have?

Posted by atu at June 25, 2006 07:56 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Great photos! We'll be expecting some natural dying on your blog shortly - you know, this is the time to gather plants, just before everything starts blooming properly. And yes, it is messier, but it's also fun ;-)
I gave a tour of a dying session on my blog a couple of days ago, if you're interrested.

Posted by: Helene at July 1, 2006 09:55 PM

That contraceptive one, the Buckler Hatchet Vetch, um WHERE exactly does one apply it "before the act" ....the mind boggles :)

The gardens are lovely and that chestnut is spectacular!!

Posted by: Debi at July 1, 2006 08:21 AM

I hope you caught the Kew Palace programme on BBC2?

I love the Horse Chestnut and the Bindweed shots, looking forward to reading about your forays into natural dying in the future.

Posted by: Rebecca at June 29, 2006 08:47 PM

Too bad bindweed isn't a dye plant! Love the chestnut tree in full bloom! BTW, I'm making Kiri...no pix on my blog though, as she has been put aside temporarily.

Posted by: Kim at June 27, 2006 08:30 PM

Too bad bindweed isn't a dye plant! Love the chestnut tree in full bloom! BTW, I'm making Kiri...no pix on my blog though, as she has been put aside temporarily.

Posted by: Kim at June 27, 2006 08:30 PM

That chestnut tree is AMAZING!!! Ah how I would love to visit those gardens, but since I can't, thank you for the tour.
I recently saw a show about the Dale Chihuly Gardens of Glass installation that was there. Did you happen to see it while it was there?

Posted by: Siri at June 27, 2006 07:55 AM

I visited Kew Gardens with my husband's grandmother about 15 years ago. Thank you for bringing back memories of that visit and of that little old lady.

Posted by: Gina at June 27, 2006 12:35 AM

How beautiful! Thanks for the tour!

Posted by: Emily at June 26, 2006 01:42 PM

Absolutely agree with you about not being able to stay in the house during beautiful weather! Thanks for sharing those wonderful pictures ... they made me want to visit England again! :)

Posted by: Agnes at June 25, 2006 10:22 PM

I am so jealous that you live in England. I visited in March for a week and dream of it every day. And there is another type of Artemisia that is soft and fluffy that I use as a border plant. Rabbits don't like it here in Indiana and stay away from my tender plants.

Posted by: at June 25, 2006 10:00 PM

hmmm wonder where you have to apply the plant that aids conception! Have you been to Hampton, love the house and the maze.

Posted by: dawn at June 25, 2006 08:44 PM