Eco prints from nature 源自郊遊的天然印染

 

It's a crispy Sunday morning.  Just two days ago the weather was changeable but I was able to do nature activities with creation. 

這兩日春天天氣變幻 , 從一日和熙陽光下踏單車遊走北區羅湖邊界村莊到翌日本意遠足西貢山頭, 但因滂沱大雨折返而在岸遊小島, 景致依然美, 順道在郊野撿拾花葉做實驗, 香港郊外, 近在咫尺, 美不勝收.

 

That day I biked in the north towards Shenzhen Lo Wu (深圳羅湖), the China border. Not far there's the well developed city in sight. 

Along the flat path and the river......

with some cows grazing....

and some resting on the river bank with birds on the back

 

 Arrived the border is the Hong Kong Tak Yuet Lau Police post (得月樓警崗).

A few years ago this area closed to Lo Wu China boundary is prohibited to enter without permit.  Now it's open to the public.

  

Then I was in the village,  Liu Pok village (料壆村) is located at the West Lo Wu.  Indigenous inhabitants of Fung clan.

I've a nice chat with a gent who returned from Holland.  He's one of the overseas Chinese of the village moved to Europe in the 60's for working. Now returned for retirement.

After a short ride in the village I forwarded to
Ho Sheung Heung (河上鄉). This Hau Ku Shek Ancestral Hall (居石侯公祠) was built in 1368 with alter and the hall used as village school.  The monument is well maintained and protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance

Next explored to find my way .....

 

Along Kwu Tung Road (古洞路) is the village shopping centre 

Views under the 2-wheel is nice to explore

  

The village in Kwu Tung still with typical farming huts

 

After a few hours leisure ride I stopped by the famous shop for the bean curd custard

 

Home with handful new finds -  the guava and eucalyptus leaves.

Next day supposed hiking in Sai Kung (西貢). Arrived the bus terminus caught my sight was the bright Tabebuia chrysantha (黃花風鈴木)

 

I collected a few on the ground for eco prints experiments 

 

Went up the mountain with friends and said hi to the boars.  While we're in the bush, it's pouring.  Play safe we called off hiking. 

 

Instead we returned to the pier and strolled along the promenade with my friend Ellen. She showed me the other side of the seaside. That moment rain stopped and we could see the clear and beautiful landscape.

I've never been to this part of Sai Kung peninsula.  It's stunning with boats.

 The mountain in the further we intended to do hiking.

The bay with lots yachts and boats is peaceful and calm.

 

Ellen and I decided to spend a couple of hours on other island.

 

We took the ferry to Kau Sai Chau golf course (滘西洲高球場) for light buffet lunch

 

We've a nice time in the restaurant with greenery around.

 

The weekend with plants collected I tried eco printing with them.  The Tabebuia chrysantha and the purple ones were new to me.  Can't expect too much.

The two pieces of yardage done

 

Guava leaf is bold and clear. Yellow and purple flowers are resist only, no color at all.

 

This is stretch silk yardage. The same piece in two ways upside down.

 

This one is wool blend cotton, prints and dyes in exhausted indigo with tumeric for yellow and greenish blue. Also one piece in two ways upside down.

So here are the two pieces of yardages experiments with new finds during the two days nature outing. The flowers are only as resist but I got to know which eucalyptus yells red and where to collect the windfalls when I need it.

Eucalyptus prints research 天然植物染桉樹實驗

 

I've been doing research in the eco printing with local eucalyptus. We've quite some species of euc over Hong Kong but which ones yell colors of red, brown, orange or green are not known. I noted there are some in our scenic landscape in the north - Nam Sang Wai.

  I collected some leaves on my bike riding last week and done the testing.

總愛尋尋覓覓找那樹葉植物做天然印染, 桉樹葉一直是我要研究的品種, 這日與單車隊友閒踏南生圍, 沿著山貝河濕地草原漁塘, 景色恰人, 一個早上悠閒地欣賞原野及撿拾枝葉, 滿滿的回家做實驗.  就這樣葉子烙在絲料上, 怡人景致印在腦海中.

Nam Sang Wai is renowned for the peaceful landscape of farms and glistening fish ponds.

The day I followed our captain along the river for leisure and treasure hunting.......

Caught my sight are the casaurina with seeding ends....

 

Just by the fishing pond is the eucalyptus

 

We're not allowed to pluck in the wild. I just touched and smelt it.

Then we're heading along the path lined with tall River Red Gum trees was pleasant.

Stop......just under my feet....the wind blown off branch of eucalyptus.  Such good finds.

Without hesitation I picked up some,

We're in the bush of eucalyptus with luck I got this sort of blown off.

Going home eagerly to do the experiment with the handful leaves.

 

Leaves composition on knitted silk jersey with partial turmeric dyed and iron mordant. 

After an hour boiling, prints of brownish yellow.  Not too bad but not as expected red prints.

 

Casaurina is just fine with bold lines.  The yellowish red is from scattered euc silver dollar.

 

Shades are what I wanted on this piece with turmeric dye that brought out the yellow flower print.

   

This part of the composition with Limonium and Loropetalum Chinense 

Conclusion for the experiment of this sort of eucalyptus is brownish green.

Next time will get some others to try.