Wreaths aren’t just a Christmas thing. At different times in history, their circular form has suggested eternity, or feminine power, as in the floral wreaths atop a maypole, or victory, […]
plantcraft
PLANTCRAFT
Gardening by the Moon
Look to the sky before you dig in the dirt
I’ve been paying attention recently to an old gardening proverb that goes like this: “With the waxing of the Moon, the Earth exhales. With the waning of the Moon, the […]
PLANTCRAFT
Plant-Printed Paper for Your Love Note
Longer-lasting than a bouquet, and just as pretty
The 1840s saw the introduction of the mass-produced valentine in the U.S. We can thank Esther A. Howland, known as the “mother of the valentine,” for that. But even with […]
PLANTCRAFT
Create a Palette of Colors From Nature
Time-tested recipes for plant-based inks and paints
As winter draws near, we lose more leaves to the wind each day. The ones that remain give the landscape a patina of russet, sienna, ochre. The ground is covered […]
PLANTCRAFT
Goldenrod for a September Salve
Longer nights call forth flowers the color of autumn light
September, the golden month on Cape Cod. Sunrises and sunsets that linger in the mind’s eye with color and light. Solidago sempervirens, seaside goldenrod, is just beginning to open at […]
PLANTCRAFT
Plant Matter to Dye For
Mix solar rays and garden clippings for earthy fabric hues
Solar dyeing starts with a gathering: deadheaded blooms, freshly unfurled petals, bright green leaves. Dyer’s Coreopsis, Queen Anne’s lace, and Rudbeckia. My garden shears make quick work of the task. […]
PLANTCRAFT
Journaling With Flowers: Creating an Herbarium
Preserve some wonder from your garden or favorite walk
By the time Emily Dickinson was 14 years old, she had compiled a collection of over 400 pressed flowers and leaves. “Have you made an herbarium yet?” she wrote to […]
