A Second Garden to Dye For: Transforming Pct. do Ambiente into a Natural Dye Garden

Sep 17

1 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

The first natural dye garden I ever planted was during the first years of Tinctorium Studio, on municipal land ceded for use in Marvila. You can read more about it here in the first Garden to Dye For journal entry. After a year of growing my own dye plants in a space that wasn't my own, I had the privilege of moving onto land of my own, where I could work on a vision for growing dye plants in a space reminiscent of a cottage garden.

Transforming Pct. do Ambiente into a Natural Dye Garden

I've been on this small piece of land, about 30 minutes from Lisbon, since 2022, and over the last few years the space has slowly been transformed from a terreno baldio (the Portuguese term for a seemingly abandoned parcel of land with no constructions or plantings) into a home, studio, and dye garden. It has been a slow evolution, tending the gardens in the evenings and on 'off' days.

The process is really just beginning, and those who tend a garden know there is no destination, just a constant journey. Below are some photos that show what a few seeds, water, and sunlight can accomplish with just a bit of patience.