06/03/2026
I was very excited to participate in the first stage of gathering lime bast, the fibrous material under the bark of a Linden (Tilia cordata) tree (known as lime tree in Britain, and linden and basswood in North America), at a private dwelling in Victoria in May.
Lime bast has been used since prehistoric times to create cordage and rope (the name lime is derived from the Old English word lind, referring to the tree). It has to be extracted by “retting” the bark, a process to separate out the fibrous material through the action of moisture and bacteria that breaks down the rest of the plant tissues.
The tree has been pollarded, but the branches had not been harvested for a few years, so it was all hands on deck to process the branches all at once.
It was fun working together, and we look forward to gathering again when the bark has finished retting!
