One of the most magical parts of gardening is discovering that the blooms you love to grow can also become color for your yarn, fabric, and threads. At Origin & North, we believe flowers are more than something to look at — they carry stories, traditions, and even a second life in the dye pot.
Here are three of the best flowers to try if you’re curious about natural dyeing:
🌼 Marigold
Marigolds are as generous in the dye pot as they are in the garden. Their petals produce shades ranging from sunny yellow to deep gold, sometimes with hints of olive green when iron is added as a modifier. Best of all, they’re easy to grow and bloom for months. Save your petals (fresh or dried) and you’ll have plenty to experiment with.
Color palette: Golden yellow, warm orange, soft olive
Best for: Cotton, wool, and silk
🌸 Coreopsis
Sometimes called "tickseed," coreopsis is a dye lover’s dream. Its cheerful blooms yield a range of rich oranges, reds, and rust tones, and the colors shift beautifully depending on your mordant and modifiers. Plant a patch in your garden and you’ll be rewarded with both pollinator-friendly flowers and a natural dye stash.
Color palette: Rust orange, red-orange, coppery brown
Best for: Wool and silk (though cotton can work too!)
🌿 Hollyhock
Hollyhocks are tall, cottage-garden favorites — and their dye potential makes them even more enchanting. Their petals (especially the darker varieties, like deep purples and almost-blacks) create dreamy, moody shades of blue, purple, and gray. They feel like a little bit of dye magic every time.
Color palette: Dusky purple, gray-blue, soft lavender
Best for: Wool and silk
Bringing It All Together
Natural dyeing is a way of honoring the garden twice: once in bloom, and once again in color. By planting marigolds, coreopsis, or hollyhocks, you’re not just tending flowers — you’re tending future hues for your yarn, fabric, and handmade projects.
✨ Want to start your own dye journey? Our natural dye kits (coming soon!) include everything you need to experiment with these plant-based colors at home.
