How do plants grow? This is one of those questions that you assume scientists have figured out by now. The truth is that we’re still learning more about plants every day. And now, thanks to the ...

Gardeners know fruit juices or plant saps can stain your clothes. Fingers get yellow after grating turmeric, and slicing beets will leave a mark on your cutting board. These somewhat undesirable ...

Hannah Asofsky ’21 spent the summer working as an intern at the Smith College Botanic Garden, drawn by her interest in “science communication, and getting people to connect with plants in new and ...

DEAR GARDEN COACH: I am a teacher who is putting in a native garden in Pinole. I want to focus on plants that were historically used as dye and fiber. Can you recommend plants and resources for us to ...

Did you know that you can grow a rainbow in your garden that will extend far beyond the flowers, vegetables and fruits that you harvest? You can color your world with beautiful hues obtained from dyes ...

Natural Dye mordants use tannins to bind color to fabric. Making your own mordants for natural dyes useful for successful dyeing. Certain plant materials contain high concentrations of tannic acid, or ...

Q: I'm interested in dyeing my own yarn and would love to grow the plants used to make the dye. Can you recommend some plants that can be used for dyeing that will grow in a northern Minnesota garden?

Miranda Bennett of Austin, TX, shows how slow and sustainable fashion can be. Miranda Bennett is a designer from Austin, Texas, who is on the cutting edge of slow and sustainable fashion. While other ...

A camouflage material made from natural plant dyes can conceal objects in both visible light and ultraviolet, which could be useful for hunters trying to avoid being spotted by birds that can see in ...