Natures Rainbow

Natures Rainbow Expert in growing a range of the best plants for dyeing wool and silk. Over ten years experience plant dyeing fibre, yarn and fabric. Visits by appointment

After using our home grown dyeplants for our own crafting for many years, we are now able to present small quantities for sale. We have accumulated considerable experience in dyeing over the last ten years and are available for workshops and talks. Visitors are welcome by appointment. We are 5 minutes walk from Hitchin railway station.

Once again. All 5 varieties of Japanese indigo. See captions for identifications. These are all the same species but dif...
18/08/2026

Once again. All 5 varieties of Japanese indigo. See captions for identifications. These are all the same species but different breeding and environments has caused them to diversify. They all look remarkably different.

I'm still looking for someone in the UK to take the responsibility of keeping these 5 varieties safe should something happen to me.

I often get asked about companion planting with dye plants. But people have not been growing dye plant gardens long eno...
01/08/2026

I often get asked about companion planting with dye plants. But people have not been growing dye plant gardens long enough to get to know what grows well with what. Here is an interesting indication. On the left Japanese Indigo growing quite healthily with a Dahlia plant and on the right much less well with Bidens aurea. The Bidens is an aggressive thug of a plant and very invasive. I'm not sure if it produces inhibitory chemicals or if it just sucks all the water out of the ground around it but the Japanese Indigo plants next to it are clearly suffering.

Madder berries galore. I've been growing madder now for getting on for 20 years and never seen it produce so many berrie...
01/08/2026

Madder berries galore. I've been growing madder now for getting on for 20 years and never seen it produce so many berries. Over the last few years they have gradually increased almost certainly the result of climate change and our hotter dryer summers.

All 5 varieties of Japanese Indigo
01/08/2026

All 5 varieties of Japanese Indigo

Two species of Golden Rod. On the left Solidago canadensis and on the right the European Native Solidago virgaurea.
19/07/2026

Two species of Golden Rod. On the left Solidago canadensis and on the right the European Native Solidago virgaurea.

Spot the interlopers 2.This is a bed of "Long leaf" Japanese indigo. I've never been able to assign a Japanese name to i...
19/07/2026

Spot the interlopers 2.
This is a bed of "Long leaf" Japanese indigo. I've never been able to assign a Japanese name to it and suspect it's a hybrid. It's a very common variety but not quite as good an indigo producer as the named varieties. It looks a bit like Senbon and has similar growth but unlike Senbon the edges of the leaves curl inward like Chijimiba and that's the give away here.

Madder berries galore. This hot weather obviously favours berry production.
19/07/2026

Madder berries galore. This hot weather obviously favours berry production.

The madder is in full flower and berries are already forming so it's going to be a good seed harvest again this year.
10/07/2026

The madder is in full flower and berries are already forming so it's going to be a good seed harvest again this year.

The Kojyoko is finally getting going.
10/07/2026

The Kojyoko is finally getting going.

Allowing self seeding is an interesting way of managing your garden. The key is being able to recognise the seedlings wh...
10/07/2026

Allowing self seeding is an interesting way of managing your garden. The key is being able to recognise the seedlings when they are small and remove the weeds allowing the useful plants to grow. This is a bed of Japanese Indigo which has been watered almost daily for around 3 weeks. Watering is an essential activity if you want to allow self seeding.
This bed has been weeded once. It's amazing what comes up!
I've not had a pokeweed plant in the garden for about 3 years and the milk thistle for even longer.

Address

55 Walsworth Road
Hitchin
SG49SX

Telephone

+441462422814

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