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Natural Dyes of Asia Retreat with Autumn Brown

If you’re looking for a natural retreat in Asia where you get to work with plant materials and dye fabrics, check out the Natural Dyes of Asia Retreat with Autumn Brown.

During my 6 day 5 night stay in July 2025, I learned so much about dyeing fabrics, from creating the dyes from fresh plant material harvested from the farm as well as store-bought, dried ones, preparing fabrics, to dyeing it and aftercare to ensure colour retention for as long as possible. In the process, we also created a dye atlas to take home for reference.

April 30, 2026 by Olivia

City, Country

How to grow luffa from seed

Whether you wish to grow luffa to eat or to use as a loofah sponge, the great news is that luffa is an easy plant to grow. Personally I found it quite effortless to care for and I get a crop going every year so that I have enough sponges to last me for a while. In this blog post, I will teach you how to grow luffa from seed.

July 2, 2024 by Olivia

City, Country

How to grow winter melons

Are you curious about how to grow winter melons? Last year I discovered how easy it is to grow them, I harvested more than 50 winter melons from one plant, weighing at least 6.2kg on average, or 310kg. While I experiencedd this success in the tropics, winter melon fares well in subtropical and temperate countries when grown during the hot summer months.

Winter melons, also known as wax gourds or ash gourds, come in several varieties, some have smooth dark skin, some are light green and are hairy; they can grow as heavy as 30kg. Once harvested, they can store for 6 months or more in a cool, dry place.

Read on to find out more about how you can grow them at home.

June 27, 2024 by Olivia

City, Country

Making cordage from plants

Making cordage from backyard plants is a skill that enriches our appreciation for the natural world. This activity is not just fun and rewarding, but it teaches patience, respect for natural resources, and the ingenuity to utilise available materials effectively.

Many plants in your backyard contain fibrous material that can be turned into strong, durable cordage when processed correctly. Pictured above is what I made using my homegrown Ramie plant, which some use as a food colouring agent or to make dishes like Hakka Ramie Leaf dumplings.

If you live in a tropical climate, plants such as sea hibiscus, jute, kenaf, banana, bamboo and sugarcane are excellent sources of fibre after retting. The long, tough stalks or bark of these plants are what you are after.

November 22, 2023 by Olivia

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