Community Dye Garden

2026 proved to be a tough year for staring a dye garden on the rough strip of land that runs alongside my studio. With constant scorching temps over 30 degrees, it being used as a toilet for both humans and animals as well as getting continuously trampled I thought many times that the plants wouldn’t make it through and felt like giving up.

Out of all of the plants grown from seed this year the majority have survived. Lavender, calendula, chamomile, black hollyhock, black scabious, evening primrose, two types of coreopsis and wild carrot are all still going although the coreopsis had to be replanted (luckily I had a spare tray of plants). Corn poppies gave up early on although there were some flowers on the tiny plants there wasn’t enough for me to harvest and play with.

Through the late summer I harvested local seeds from wild salvias and verbascums to add into next years planting and ordered cranesbill and ox eye daisies. All seeds are sown and beginning to show signs of life as we head into this blustery autumn.