Murraya paniculata, common name Orange Jessamine, is an excellent hedging plant. A native of China and South-east Asia, it is in several spots in my small garden because of its wonderful orange blossom perfume when in flower and its neat small dark green leaves when it’s not.
In pursuit of my experiments with natural dyeing, I bound some Murraya leaves in recycled silk (the unpicked “bias cut bow tie” of a silk blouse). I brought a pot of mixed red and brown onion skins and water to the simmer and inserted the bundle of silk and Murraya in it for two hours.
Wishful thinking goes with the territory of dyers. However, I did not predict the sensational green of the result. What a shame I didn’t collect the prunings when the hedge was manicured last week!
I actually did a ten bundle batch of garden material in recycled silk in the same pot. More later.
Horace 
Ooohhhh can I come and play at your house? stunning!!!
Any time Jane! You know more about all this than I do, after all! And it’s fun!
Wow looks great! Looking forward to having time and energy to do some more dyeing myself too.
Great results Margaret!
Amazing colour – who knew 🙂 I have lots of Murraya if you want more. Just looking out to my garden now wondering what to bring over to you…
Will post a picture of the rose leaf prints when they are done!
Hello. Very nice green. But I am intrigued as to where the onion skins bath colours went ? How come they didn’t dye your silk at all ?
I have no idea! You can see the take up at the folds though….