In the spring of 2021, I started some seeds to grow my own Japanese indigo, Persicaria tinctoria. Since then, I have grown this wonderful plant every summer. The slow and laborious process of making this special blue pigment has intrigued and captivated me. The growing process also appeals to the gardener in me. Everything about it is old-world. It appeals to my need to rebel against the fast-paced world around me.

Starting the seeds indoors in the cool Pacific Northwest weather, planting seedlings out in early May after the last frost, watching the plant thrive in the summer heat growing nearly chest high on me, then finally the first harvest in late July to see the magical green leaves produce a sensuous turquoise blue on silk. August and September are critical in the production of the pigment. Finally the plants flower and the bees pollinate them to make seeds. And the cycles begins again a few months later.