The irony of volunteering at our local native plant sale wasn’t lost on me. A quiet afternoon meant fewer customers than expected, and I found myself succumbing to temptation. I left with my car filled with treasures – beautiful coral dogwoods with their striking pink and green bark, a choke cherry, a penstemon, and some spreading Oregon Grape that promises to be excellent ground cover for holding together the slope where I’ve been battling Himalayan Blackberry. The dangers of volunteering, indeed!
Planting these new additions revealed spring’s hidden drama – earthworms everywhere. Each trowelful brought a new encounter, I ended up tapping the ground first to alert these essential garden helpers to my impending spade. Ridiculous, I know, but these small gestures connect us to the natural world in surprisingly meaningful ways.
The Moment
It happened just as I was finishing planting the Oregon Grape. I stood up to stretch my back, wiping dirt-covered hands on my trousers, and noticed how the season was unfolding around me. The robins were busily collecting nesting materials, the trillium were unfurling their pristine white blooms, the nodding pink heads of bleeding heart were just peeking out over the pretty fern-like leaves. The rain this year has brought an abundance, my garden was awakening with the promise of beauty to come.
My thoughts drifted to the clematis I’d planted a few years ago, and remembering the spectacular bloom last year following a similarly wet winter. Will it be as bountiful this year? (Note to self: I need to tie back the shoots before they are falling everywhere.)
The Inspiration
Clematis Abundance
Plants have always been powerful vessels of connection and memory for me. Each carries its own associations – roses that transport me to my neighbor’s garden in Arizona, lavender that reminds me of summer afternoons at my sister’s home in France.
Last year the bloom on the Jack Manii Clematis was truly wonderful. I had planted it during the pandemic (when so many of us took refuge in the garden) in honour of my Mum, it was one of her favorite flowers. The vine had transformed into a waterfall of deep purple-blue blooms cascading over the trellis. So I knew I wanted to capture these blooms in a timeless design.
The clematis forms the centerpiece of my Mother’s Day Collection, but I’ve also been inspired by the bright, cheerful faces of coneflowers that will bloom later in the season, such a magnet for bees. Their resilient nature and radiant colors remind me of the strong women in my life – a perfect theme for designs that celebrate mothers and Mother Nature.
From Nature to Design
My creative process always begins away from the computer. I use paint markers in a handmade square journal with heavy paper, not trying to create botanical illustrations but rather to capture the essence of the plant.
I find that putting paint to paper is more freeing than working digitally. The initial painting focuses on th palette that fits with the other motifs in the collection. I leaned a little more blue with the flowers in one colorway and a cheerful pink in the other, true IKEA kids cup colors that feel sunny.
These designs, when printed on our 100% cotton tea towels, bring the garden’s beauty indoors in a practical, everyday way. I love being able to share , these pieces will add touches of nature and a pop of color to kitchen spaces – whether draped over an oven handle, folded neatly on a counter, or even providing a sustainable wrapping for a special gift.
The Art of Noticing
“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” – Aristotle
You know Spring is here when there seem to be robins hopping here, there, and everywhere. I paused to look out of my studio window today, to watch “my” robin in the bird bath. He arrives most days and bathes with such glee – ducking his head under the water, then lifting it to fling droplets across surrounding plants. After several enthusiastic dunks, he hops to the edge, pauses as if to consider, and then… back in he goes for another round! A joyful moment for the both of us.
This quote resonates deeply as I witness the small miracles in my spring garden. We often seek the spectacular, yet it’s these everyday observations of robin, worm, and plants that truly reveal nature’s intricate brilliance. Whilst we may wish for fewer rainy days, I’m always itching to get outside, it is Oregon’s liquid sunshine that gives us the wonderful abundance of Spring flowers.
Something Worth Sharing
I’ve started keeping a simple “bloom journal” – noting what’s flowering each week and the memories these plants evoke. It’s become a lovely way to document not just the garden’s progression but also the invisible threads connecting these plants to people and places I’ve loved.
As our lives change, and we become more selective about those things we hold near, these small rituals of observation and documentation help us create spaces that truly reflect our stories and connections. A tea towel isn’t just a kitchen accessory – it’s a daily reminder of nature’s beauty and the moments that matter.
A Parting Thought
Is there a plant or flower in your life that serves as a living connection to someone special? How might you celebrate them this week? Perhaps with a gift that brings nature’s beauty into their everyday spaces?
Our Mother’s Day Collection will be available in mid to late April – perfect timing for choosing that special gift. I would love to let you know as soon as the tea towels are available (they are being printed and stitched right here is USA), just sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive early access, and special offers. I am also going to be at several markets in May and offer date reminders, in person pick up and in person specials.
Sue creates nature-inspired home textiles that bring the beauty of the outdoors into everyday living. Follow her garden and design journey on Instagram @greenstitchpdx. She would love to hear any thoughts you would like to share, email her at sueselbie@greenstitch.com.
