Weld grew in my garden before I came to live here. 

After I moved in I noticed this tall plant with it's multiple flower spikes which popped up in my flowerbeds, but I had no idea of it's potential. It was only when I started investigating growing my own plants for dyeing wool that I realised how lucky I was that weld seems to love my soil.

It grows a rosette of green leaves early in the season, sending down a strong taproot. It doesn't really like to be moved but if I see seedlings early enough they will usually tolerate being moved to a convenient place in the garden.

This one has not chosen such a convenient place to grow!

Once they have established, the plants begin to send up flower spikes with tiny yellowish green flowers. The whole plant can be harvested and chopped up for using fresh or can be dried to use at a later date. I always leave some flowers to seed themselves for next year.

Weld yields a bright, fresh, yellow dye. This is some of my first handspun wool from sheep who graze in our next-door village. The first steps towards my dream of creating truly local textiles.