Summer Movies 2026: Mushroom Dye Tutorials

It's mid-summer in the San Francisco Bay Area, and life is good! Every year about this time, I like to head to the cinema to watch fun, interesting, or inspiring movies, in which plants are the movie stars. For the past several years, I've been gravitating towards documentaries that cover topics related to "dyeing with plants". This year I'm doing the same, but for "dyeing with mushrooms".

Instead of reviewing a specific documentary, I'm sharing a couple of  YouTube channels. I've been accessing this content as I research the topic of dyeing with mushrooms, and am hoping the links will give you a feel for some of the videos out there. Enjoy!

Wildcraft Dyeing provides a good video for dyeing with Boletes

Myra Made Color: Cultivating a Creative Life - by Myra

I learned about Myra Made Color this year, while researching Mushrooms for Color, written by Miriam Rice and illustrated by Dorothy BeeBee. Myra is Beebee's daughter, but stands on her own as a dyer and creator. Myra helped organize the "Mushrooms & Color Exhibit" that I attended in March at the Mendocino Art Center (see Mendocino Mushroom Exhibit). Her fascination with dyeing started with the color produced by mushrooms, but soon extended from mushrooms to all things botanical; her interest in fiber arts includes dyeing, weaving, crocheting, and knitting. Myra's videos are well researched and provide clear instructions and guidelines.

I also appreciate the familial collaboration between mother and daughter and between Myra and her brother Martin. Myra and Martin produced the documentary, "Try It and See: The Story Behind Mushroom Dyes", in which they tell the story of their mother as a natural dyer, fiber artist, and illustrator for the original book by Miriam Rice, Let’s Try Mushrooms for Color. Following is an example video, How to Make Dye with Mushrooms: Dyer's Polypore  (https://youtu.be/T4TjnxFO3yw?si=RXSGadZu37EvjL4O):

Learn More

• Blog: https://myramadecolor.com/

• About: https://myramadecolor.com/about/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MyraMadeColor 

          Playlist - Mushrooms: https://myramadecolor.com/tag/mushroom-dye/

• Patreon: https://myramadecolor.com/2025/01/08/news-join-me-on-patreon/

• Documentary: https://youtu.be/Y6-OTBv0gNM?si=Ty6PaPFwiZfwrciM

Wildcraft Dyeing - by Zoe McDonnel

I've been watching Wildcraft Dyeing videos for several years now, especially the Mushrooms playlist. McDonell is a fiber artist and biologist. She has been teaching historical natural dye techniques and fiber arts for 25 years in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Her workshops cover foraging, natural dyeing, spinning, and weaving. She is interested in sustainable and historical techniques for creating vibrant colors. Zoe's daughter is often in tow as they forage for mushrooms.

Her focus is dyeing wool yarn. I'm more interested in dyeing cotton and silk fabric, but always learn transferrable information from her videos. She uses a technique of extracting color and dyeing that contains the dye source in mesh paint straining bags within jars. It is intriguing, but I haven't tried it yet (I did purchase some mesh bags). The technique works well for small batches, but would be difficult for dyeing something the size of a dish towel or Tee-shirt. Following is an example video, How to Dye Better Reds with Cortinarius Mushrooms (https://youtu.be/DLCuBX8QgzY?si=oXsO3afYK7gyeHGn):

Learn More

• Blog: https://wildcraftdyeing.com/

• About: https://wildcraftdyeing.com/about

• YouTube: https://wildcraftdyeing.com/natural-dye-videos

Playlist - Mushrooms: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN8jIaL4rHvZlIJMBYQjk5PVWyDZ4fcg5

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Wildcraftdyeing

 

Winter Movie 2026: Miriam Rice Documentary

Winter can be surprisingly cold here in the San Francisco Bay Area (not as cold as Alaska, but the foggy marine air can chill you to the bone). It's the perfect season for watching movies, especially where plants are the movie stars. For the last several years we've been watching some excellent plant dye related documentaries by Maiwa Productions.

This winter I've chosen a documentary called Mushrooms for Color, about mushroom-dyeing pioneer, Miriam C. Rice (1918-2010). Rice was an artist who lived and worked all over the United States, and finally moved to Mendocino, California with her husband, Ray. She was an artist-in-residence at the Mendocino Art Center, and became fascinated with the idea of dyeing fibers with mushrooms.

The documentary describes her journey, first seeking information from the San Francisco Mycological Society and then foraging for mushrooms and experimenting with dyeing. She had dye pots bubbling all over the house. At first she just plunged into the process without keeping any notes or records. As she developed processes for mordanting and dyeing, she started keeping detailed records and developed a shorthand to record her findings. Rice discovered a broad palette of colors that could be produced from fungi, especially when dyeing protein fibers. In 1974, she published "Let's Try Mushrooms for Color" (Thresch Publications). She shared her experience with other artists, scientists, and mycologists at various conventions and exhibitions. She was more interested in the science of extracting the color, than creating fiber art, but she soon developed an international following of fiber artists.

The documentary was made in 1988, and is still available, with caveats that some of the information may have been superseded by new discoveries. I was especially interested to see the many beautiful colors that can be produced from mushrooms and fungi, and to see the samples of dyed yarn. Since Rice collected in Northern California, she identified many dye sources that are readily available here in the Bay Area. She didn't just collect information, but shared it, building an international community of enthusiasts. Additionally, Rice realized that some mushrooms, especially Polypores can be used to make beautiful handcrafted paper that can be dyed with mushrooms (a second documentary describes this journey). To see both documentaries: https://youtu.be/o1Dn7GsBsmU?si=LkcoWYTMMSNGVLbt

Summer Movie 2025: Keeping a Dye Journal

Every summer and winter I like to head to the cinema for entertaining movies where plants are the movie stars. Over the years we've watched an assortment of movies across genres in our quest for movie star plants (no matter how far-fetched the connection). For the past couple of years we've been working our way through the free documentaries on the Maiwa website.

This summer I decided to watch, Keeping a Dye Journal, a free lesson in the Maiwa Productions collection. (A login is required for access, so create a free account and then scroll down to the bottom of Free Lessons & Documentaries). Maiwa typically produces really great documentaries and tutorials, so I was expecting a similar treatment. Turns out, the video was only about two and a half minutes long. I contacted Maiwa to make sure content wasn't missing!

While waiting for a response, I rewatched the video several times and realized that quite a lot of information is conveyed and a lot of good examples are provided. Maiwa responded very quickly, and assured me that nothing was missing and that the purpose of the video is to inspire viewers to come up with the best system to serve their purposes and studio practices. This actually made sense.

I decided to keep this video as my summer "movie" even though it barely qualifies. I'm still recommending it as a jumping off point, because it shows quite a few good examples in its brief presentation and it inspired me to check the web for ways other dyers keep their dye journals. Some of the main recommendations include:

• Pick a format you like - physical notebook, digital records, or a combination.
• Record information about the plant or substance used to make the dye.
• Record details about the fiber or fabric, mordants, and weight of fabric % to dyestuff.
• Record the dyeing process used, including time, temperature, duration, and any modifiers.
• Attach samples of the dyed fabric or fiber, and photos.

Watch the video to see for yourself, and then check out these sources for other ideas (or find your own):

• Dye Records (https://www.etsy.com/listing/1314468259/printable-dye-record-natural-dye-journal) - RELMdyeSHOP on Etsy offers Printable Dye Record sheets for download.

• How to Create a Fabric Dye Journal (https://shannon-brinkley.com/blogs/shannon-brinkley-studio-1/how-to-create-a-dye-journal) - Shannon Brinkley of Scrappy Applique describes and shows how to create a dye journal.

• Natural Dye Journal (https://www.etsy.com/listing/1557467713/natural-dye-journal-worksheets-keep) - FiberArtsySite on Etsy offers Natural Dye Journal worksheets for download.

• Natural Dyeing: Keeping a Dye Journal (https://blog.fabrics-store.com/2020/07/16/natural-dyeing-keeping-a-dye-journal) - Kathryn Dave from The Thread shows several examples for record keeping.

• What Record Keeping Can Be! (https://maiwahandprints.blogspot.com/2020/11/what-record-keeping-can-be-maiwa-dye.html) - Maiwa offers a notebook for creating a dye journal.

Winter Movie 2025: Eye of the Needle

It's that dark time of year again, where the sun sets early and the temperature can be quite cold, especially at night. This year, we've had several weeks of beautiful weather and little rain (worrisome for the dry summer and fall seasons ahead). The sun is welcome but not very warm, so inside projects and activities still have greater appeal. Over the years, one of those indoor activities has been to watch winter movies, typically with plants as the movie stars (we've seen a whole range of movies that fit that criteria). Last year we watched the documentary Tana Bana Wisdom of the Loom, by Maiwa Productions. 

This winter we are watching the documentary Through the Eye of a Needle: Stories from an Indian Desert, also by Maiwa Productions. A login is required (create a free account), and then scroll to the bottom of Free Lessons & Documentaries). This documentary focuses on embroidery and its use to embellish fabric clothing and objects. It is also a success story about an embroidery collective in India, which has benefited women and their communities economically, and has distributed their legacy designs and skills to the world. 

The documentary introduces the Kutch desert in Western India, which is a dry, treeless area where nomadic tribes live and to which people have migrated due to political unrest and natural disasters. Despite the desolate area and harsh conditions, the tribal groups have a rich culture and embroidery is one of their art forms. Embroidered pieces are used as clothing, dowry pieces, gifts to kings, and a type of insurance policy that can be sold in times of hardship. Many of the embroidery artisans are members of the Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan co-operative (KMVS), which is a rural development project designed to connect tribal communities. The tribes work together and collectively set standards of quality, maintain traditions, ensure quality, provide business training, and build confidence in the artisans.  Members vote on the direction the group takes, and share in the profits.

The documentary was made between 2002-2003 and used as part of a museum exhibit at the Vancouver Museum along with beautiful examples of traditional and modern embroidery. I was especially interested to see the intricate embroidery templates used to convey the designs, and the beautiful embroidered pieces produced from the designs. Thanks to KMVS, the artisans produce high-quality results, are encouraged to produce indigenous designs, and are taken seriously and compensated fairly. Additionally, artisans are able to work from home, helping to ensure income despite external hardships, and to pass knowledge to the next generation. KMVS is a testament to the collective power of co-operatives to support artisans and their communities.

Summer Movies: Garage Sale Mysteries

In the summer, I like to watch movies where plants are the movie stars. Over the years we've seen some silly, educational, fun, and serious movies that fit the criteria. This summer I'm watching Hallmark's Garage Sale Mysteries with Mom and Dad. There aren't a lot of movie star plants, but there are fleeting glimpses of beautiful landscaping in the background. And in this year of sabbatical and season of change, the goal is family fun and entertainment.

The protagonist, Jen Shannon, and her business partner, Dani, own an antique store called Rags to Riches. In the course of visiting estate sales, bidding on storage lockers, and combing through junk shops, they find treasures and dead bodies. Jen uses her analytical mind and the help of her detective and coroner friends to solve the crimes. Woven throughout the stories are situations from domestic life with Jen's husband and two almost-grown children. The Hallmark series is based on a book series by Suzi Weinert that includes Garage Sale Stalker, Garage Sale Diamonds, Garage Sale Riddle, and Woman at the Garage Sale. 

Each episode is a complete movie that stands on its own, and includes fascinating treasures, a perplexing murder, family relationships, and Jen's winning approach to solving crimes. Some of my favorite episodes include "The Wedding Dress", "The Novel Murders", and "The Pandora's Box Murder". I especially enjoyed the transition vignettes that show snapshots of antiques or other objects that are related to the storyline. I also love that the author published Garage Sale Stalker when she was 75 and Woman at the Garage Sale when she was 85 (we are never too old to follow our dreams)!

Winter Movie 2024: Wisdom of the Loom

It's that dark and rainy time of year, where staying inside seems more appealing than heading outside for projects. Over the years we've watched some interesting winter movies, ideally with popcorn and in the company of a friend or loved one. The movies typically showcase plants in the starring role (no matter how obscure the connection), and either entertain or inform us. Last year we watched Indigo - A World of Blue, in preparation for our year of dyeing fabric with indigo (Indigofera tinctoria). The documentary was produced by Maiwa Productions (which is affiliated with the Maiwa School of Textiles, a favorite source for natural dyes, mordants, and fibers).

This winter we are watching the documentary Tana Bana Wisdom of the Loom, also by Maiwa Productions. A login is required (create a free account); scroll to the bottom of Free Lessons & Documentaries).  After the last several years of dyeing fabric with natural dyes, and seeing how different fibers absorb the dye, it is a natural progression to want to learn more about weaving. Through the documentary, we can follow the experts at Maiwa as they visit small scale weaving studios all over India, Pakistan, Africa, Indonesia, Laos, and more. Many of these destinations are known world-wide for their beautiful textiles. This is a perfect movie for a sabbatical year!

The documentary starts with a brief history of weaving, which is one of the oldest of technologies. Important terms are defined, including Warp (the long thread that runs vertically up and down the fabric); Weft (the horizontal thread that passes from salvage to salvage, also called the Woof); Loom (the frame that keeps the cloth taught); and Tabby weave (the most basic, plain weave of warp and weft threads). The production crew visits small studios all over the world to explore the many variations of weaves that have been developed, as well as techniques to embellish, dye, and enhance the weaving. The small operations cannot compete with industrial scale weaving, but can produce fabrics that are beautiful and original.

I was especially interested to learn about all the variations in weave patterns. For example, in Indonesia, Sumba weavers add a supplementary warp tread to the base weave of story cloths for extra pattern. In Laos, weavers use a supplementary weft thread that extends from selvage to selvage to enhance the pattern with texture. Extra threads are added to create a twill weave that is strong and supple, as seen in denim blue jeans. In India, small threads are added as supplemental welp, and cut to produce texture and pattern. A mushroom weave of cotton and silk enables individuals in Muslin culture to keep silk from touching the skin, but still enjoy silks' luster and sheen on the outside. I enjoyed sewing my wardrobe in my youth, so I was fascinated to learn more about how fabric is woven to produce interesting patterns. I highly recommend Tana Bana Wisdom of the Loom (access is free, but you must create an account to watch).

Summer Movie 2023: In Search of Lost Colors

It is summer and time for a change of pace, travel to exotic places, and adventure. Depending on where you are in the world, it may just be time to find a cool place to get out of the sun and heat, whether in an air conditioned movie theater, in deep shade with a good book, or in a swimming pool. Another option is to pop some corn and watch a movie in the coolest room in the house. I especially like to watch films where plants are the movie stars (and we've seen some interesting ones over the years).

This summer I'm watching another documentary by Maiwa Productions, In Search of Lost Colour: The Story of Natural Dyes. It has everything a summer movie should have - change of pace, travel, adventure, exploration; and plants are definitely the main stars. The film documents the range of color sources, extraction processes, and dyeing techniques that are found around the world. One hundred fifty years ago everything was dyed naturally, and then synthetic dyes took their place. This film goes searching for lost colors and natural dyeing processes around the world. Let's join the expedition!

In Search of Lost Colours is packed with information, fascinating interviews, beautiful photography, and inspiration. The introduction describes the ancient history of natural dyeing, the emergence of synthetic dyeing, and the revival of interest in natural dyeing. Also described are the basics of fabric and fiber, the processes of scouring and mordanting, and the techniques for harvesting and extracting color. The film then explores dye sources by colors:  the reds, blues, shellfish purple, the yellows and oranges, browns, and blacks and gray. Sprinkled throughout are samples of beautiful fabric that have been woven or block printed or overdyed or treated with various processes. The burnished cotton dyed with indigo was especially intriguing.

Also included are interviews with artisans and footage of them working in their studios or outdoors (often in places where generations of families have dyed and worked). Some excellent books are cited such as A Perfect Red (Amy Butler Greenfield), The Root of Wild Madder (Brian Murphy), The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing: Traditional Recipes for Modern Use (J.N. Liles),  and Koekboya: Natural Dyes and Textiles, A Colour Journey from Turkey to India and Beyond (Dr. Harald Bohmer).

It was satisfying to see how many of the dyes I've already tried (cochineal, indigo, weld, logwood, walnut, marigold, and madder to name a few) and inspiring to see there is so much more to try! Woad, cutch and osage orange come to mind, as do the processes of ikat twisting and block printing, and more experimentation with mordants and fabrics. I also appreciated learning about how devastating synthetic dyes are on the planet, and the vision for a future where natural dyeing replaces synthetic dyeing. There are some challenges to overcome and mindsets to change, but it is a worthy goal. I recommend this documentary to anyone interested in learning more about the history, traditions, techniques of natural dyeing.

Winter Movie 2023: Indigo - A World of Blue

It's that dark, rainy and often dreary time of year, where inside projects and activities beckon. It is the perfect time of year to settle into a favorite chair or couch, wrap up in a fuzzy blanket, and watch a movie (with popcorn and a friend if possible). Historically we've used this time of year to watch some winter movies where plants played the starring role. We've seen some fun, goofy, informative, entertaining, serious and interesting movies over the years. Last year we read books about and by homesteaders instead, although plants still showed up in various ways.

This winter we are watching the documentary Indigo: A World of Blue by Maiwa Productions for our winter movie. I'm planning to experiment with indigo dyeing later this year, so am learning all I can about the plant and the process. What could be better than tagging along with the experts at Maiwa as they visit dye studios all over India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and more. Many of these destinations are known world-wide for their beautiful textiles, dyes and prints. The documentary is so packed with information and ideas that I had to watch it multiple times!

At the Pitchi Reddy farm in India, we're introduced to a major supplier of indigo that is produced using traditional methods. The indigo leaves are fermented and the resulting dye is dried into cakes using sustainable practices. The spent indigo leaves and soaking baths contain nitrogen, and are recycled in the rice fields. At the Miani Forest Research Center in Pakistan we visit another operation that also uses natural fermentation and traditional methods. Both use Indigofera tinctoria to produce the dye. In Nagaland India, indigo is produced from Strobilanthes flaccidifolius leaves, which contain an indigo precursor. The leaves are used to dye the fabric directly.

The documentary team also visits several cooperatives where resist dyeing produces beautiful ajrak cloths, story telling cloths and batiks through a variety of methods. A thread that runs through the documentary is that many of the traditional ways have died out with the introduction of synthetic dyes. Cooperatives and collectives are finding ways to help communities bring back the traditional methods for dyeing with natural indigo dye.

I was especially interested to learn about the basic techniques for fermenting and dyeing with indigo. It is so extraordinary to see the odd yellow green shade produced by fermented leaves, and then to see the fabric turn from the same yellow green to indigo blue when exposed to the air. The narrators describe it as a kind of miracle, and it seems that way to see it happen on film. Of course chemistry performs the magic, but there is also the art, skill and experience of the dyers. Dyeing with indigo has been done for at least 5,000 years, and probably more. You have to wonder how the ancients first discovered or envisioned the processes and methods used to dye with indigo. I was also fascinated to see all the ways that resist dyeing and techniques like printing and over dyeing are used to embellish the fabric. I'm looking forward to experimenting with indigo dye this year!

Summer Movies 2021: Around the World in 80 Gardens – India

For my final journey with Monty Don this summer, we're heading to India to visit gardens, and see famous movie star plants in their native environment. In this episode Monty explores historical gardens influenced by Hindu Maharajahs, Mughal emperors, and the British empire. One of his favorite gardens turns out to be a modern garden in the jungle, made with found and recycled objects. Grab your sunglasses, hat, and water jug for our final summer destination!

Agra, Deeg, Jaipur, Kochi, and New Delhi (2008, Episode 3)

Monty kicks off his first trip to India with a dawn visit to the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra. The white marble tomb was built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in the mid-1600s for his wife. The design is based on a description of heaven in the Koran; it is meant to be a paradise garden - heaven on earth. An hour away Monty visits another Mughal-inspired tomb - Akbar's Tomb. It was built of red sandstone in the early 1600s. The Mughals were conquerors from Afghanistan, establishing their empire in 1526. Their garden designs were based on the Islamic idea of paradise on earth, filled with animals, nature, and water. Before the Mughal empire, India was a series of Hindu states, each with it own Raj. Their gardens were devoted to pleasure, not Allah.

Next Monty visits Deeg Palace in Rajasthan, built in late-1700s. Of special interest is Keshav Bhawan, the monsoon pavillion. During the monsoon, water was harvested and stored in large tanks, then during the dry season used to simulate a monsoon storm in a grand spectacle for the king and his court. The technology for collecting and using the water is interesting and ingenious. Deeg is set in a very dry place. The spectacle is a thing of the past, and the tanks are now used for laundry and bathing.  

In nearby Jaipur, the red city, Monty visits Jal Mahal, a water palace and garden that is being restored. When the monsoons come, water forms a lake around the building. Visitors arrive by boat and disembark on the flooded lower floors. Also in Jaipur, Monty visits a small Hindu Temple Garden, to enjoy the beauty of the small. His tour guide describes the plants that are grown for offerings (banana, jasmine, ficus, basil, and more), all of which are auspicious.

Then to the south of India to Kochi, formerly the British port of Cochin. where evidence of spice merchants, Chinese fishing nets, Portuguese churches, Dutch streets, and English culture converge. Nearby, Monty visits Mr. Abraham's Spice Garden, drives through the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) tea farm, and takes tea with Mrs. Abbas in the British-style Old Railway Garden that is maintained by KDHP. All their teas come from camellias that originated in China (Camellia sinensis), and are handpicked.  

Then north again to New Delhi, the ambitious capital designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (a British architect and landscape architect, who worked with Gertrude Jekyll) and built in the early 1900s. Lutyens mixed British pomp with Mughal and Maharajah elements, and incorporated parks and tree-lined avenues to lower the temperature by 7 degrees. New Delhi is a grand show of imperial power, which started to fade within 10-15 years. 

Finally Monty heads to The Rock Garden of Chandigarh, close to the Himalayas. Nek Chand started the garden in the jungle in the 1950s, using rocks and castoffs. It was discovered in the 1970s and almost bulldozed, but then saved and turned into a tourist destination. The garden has a maze-like structure, with water works, stone paths, and delights everywhere. It is a modern garden that looks to the future, recycling castoffs and rubbish to make art. Monty loves the garden, and leaves India energized and full of hope. Thank you for joining me on this final leg of our summer tour!

Summer Movies 2021: Around the World in 80 Gardens – The Med

My next journey with Monty Don is to the Mediterranean to visit gardens and meet movie star plants (OK, I can't stay completely away from the Mediterranean climate)! On this trip Monty travels through the cradle of European civilization visiting gardens in Spain, Morocco, and Italy. He studies the elaborate Renaissance gardens that influenced western garden design, and the artistic achievements of the Moorish culture that influenced gardens in Spain and around the world. So grab your camera and join us for more summer travelling!

Spain, Morocco, Italy (2008, Episode 7)

Monty's first stop is Tivoli, Italy, just outside of Rome and a popular summer residence since ancient Roman times due to its altitude and cooler temperatures. He visits several gardens in the area including the Renaissance-era Villa d'Este, which was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este (1509–1572). Water is the main theme of the garden. Water features are incorporated into the design to delight and surprise its visitors, including fountains, water sprays, a grotto, and a water organ. 

He visits nearby Villa Adriana (Hadrian's Villa, built in the second century). Its design implements hydro technology, which was revived centuries later in gardens including Villa d'Este. Monty marvels at the size of the garden and the engineering involved, and notes that the grand garden was left to deteriorate as Europe headed into the Dark Ages. Monty heads for a modern vineyard in the same area, where they grow organic fruits and veggies, including a variety of grapes that originated from Villa d'Este. 

Next stop is Villa Lante in Bagnaia, which represents the perfect Renaissance garden for Monty. The villa isn't just a retreat, but a statement of power. The garden is designed around a central axis, with a clipped and controlled formal garden and a backdrop of parkland. A 50-foot long stone table features an icy-cold canal running down its center, in which cold drinks and dishes would float by its diners, perfect for outdoor entertaining. The garden design may have inspired English gardening 200 years later.

From Italy, Monty travels to Marrakech, Morocco to explore the Islamic influence on gardens. He visits Aguedal, one of the oldest continuous gardens in the world, with water brought in from the Atlas mountains 1000 miles away. It is part orchard, part farm, and part garden. Everything in the garden has both usefulness and beauty. Monty interviews Professor Mohammed El Faiz about the garden to learn more, and finds his views on gardens challenged.

In Marrakesh, many homes are based on traditional Islamic design, where the house is built around a courtyard garden. The buildings appear modest from the outside, but the courtyard gardens are lush and lavish, and provide an outdoor space in which to cook, eat, and grow food. Monty also visits the French-inspired Jardin Majorelle, dating from the 1920's and 30's, and featuring Art Deco, Berber, and Islamic influences.   

From Marrakech, Monty travels to Spain via train and hydrofoil. He visits The Alhambra in Granada, the oldest surviving palace garden. Its elements are based on Islamic design, which seeks to represent paradise on earth. On the island of Cordoba, Monty enjoys the annual festival of patio gardens, where thousands of courtyard and patio gardens are opened up for visitors. In these gardens, people eat, drink, party, and work, which Monty has come to see as the definition of a garden.

Monty ends his tour in Madrid, at Casa Caruncho, a cloister garden that opens out to nature. He interviews its designer, Fernando Caruncho, and learns the importance of light in the garden (direct, reflected, and shaded) for the Spanish psyche. In the garden you are transported outside of yourself, like a mini-pilgrimage.

Monty ends the tour pondering how Mediterranean gardens reflect the strength of two different cultures, the classical and Islamic. The two have enriched and informed each other from very early times, synthesizing the physical and the spiritual from both cultures. Hope you've enjoyed traveling with Monty to see the beautiful ancient and modern Mediterranean gardens, which continue to influence garden design today.   

Summer Movies 2021: Around the World in 80 Gardens – South East Asia

 This summer I'm heading to the movies to enjoy some of the world's most beautiful gardens. My travel partner and guide is British garden guru, Monty Don, and the movies are his horticultural travelogues from the BBC series "Around the World in 80 Gardens". Recall we traveled with Monty several years ago (see Summer Movies 2016: Australia and New Zealand). Then, we explored locations with a Mediterranean climate; this year we're broadening our horizons to several exotic locations (blame it on the pandemic)! I'm hoping to have some fun, and learn more about movie star plants and gardens from these different locations. Grab your sunscreen and a hat, and join us for some summer travelling!

Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali (2008, Episode 10)

Today we head for Southeast Asia, where Monty's quest is to find the perfect tropical jungle garden that has served as a model for Western gardeners, since the nineteenth century. He starts in Bangkok, Thailand by visiting Jim Thompson's Garden (an American entrepreneur who thrived in the Thai silk industry, and then disappeared into the jungle in 1967). He built an estate and tropical garden in the heart of Bangkok using palms, gingers, lotus, water features, and Thai hardscape. It was his vision of what a jungle could be, but not necessarily an indigenous Thai garden.

Next Monty visits the Thai Grand Palace Garden, where he is surprised by lots of topiary, and then the Chitralada Royal Villa, where the king uses the grounds to experiment with sustainable food production for his subjects, growing different crops such as mung beans, peanuts, and rice. Monty notes that the garden focuses completely on the practical and not on aesthetics. Its lab studies how to preserve Thai's indigenous plants (in the past, you would not cultivate a jungle, rather try to fight it back). 

Finally he visits the Khlong Gardens along the canals and waterways of Bangkok. Plants are everywhere, including those used to flavor food. His guide, actress Patravadi Mejudhon, informs him that people want the plants, but don't necessarily want to garden - it's too hot! Monty reflects over stir fry in the evening that the exotic may be what we can't grow, more of a state of mind than a garden style. In Bangkok, gardens grow so fast that that there isn't really a style - it is just whatever grows!

Next, Monty travels by train south to Singapore. Forty-plus years ago Singapore started a campaign for the greening of the city. Singapore had grown so fast, it had become a "gray jungle" of concrete. The goal was to turn the city into a garden. Gardens, parks, and recreational spaces were developed on a large scale, and citizens were encouraged to garden. Monty interviews Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Dr. Lawrence Leong Chee Chien, both influential in the movement to green Singapore. He also interviews blogger and activist, Wilson Wong, who promotes Community Gardens for growing food. Monty leaves Singapore without finding his model tropical jungle garden, and a little depressed by all the orchids in the Singapore airport (we may part company here).

Monty flies to Bali to continue his quest for a local jungle garden. The predominate religion is a version of Hinduism that reveres nature. He visits a temple garden first, in which every plant and flower has meaning and is used in temple offerings. Monty is overwhelmed with the peace and serenity of the place. Later, in the night market, Monty sees flowers and petals for sale (the ingredients for making offerings), and notes how the spiritual is intertwined with commerce. Monty visits the garden of a mutli-family compound, and observes this same intertwining of the useful and the spiritual. He ponders whether this is really a garden.

Monty visits an estate garden, right on the beach, and concludes it fulfills all the fantasies of what Westerners want in a jungle paradise (sanitized, without any chickens wandering around). He ends his tour in the garden of Made Wijaya, a landscape architect and designer from Sydney, Australia. He specializes in tropical gardens, and blends the ancient and modern in what could be called, the Bali style. He uses color, plants, shrines, and history in his designs, to create beautiful and distinctive gardens. Monty concludes the tour with the idea that tropical jungles may be a figment of our imagination and a vacation fantasy. Mankind will always be in search of Shangri-La, but it exists only within ourselves.

I really enjoyed seeing the lush gardens of Bangkok, Singapore, and Bali, whether or not they are authentic, indigenous, or a true garden. Maybe that's the result of gardening in a dry climate, on the brink of another drought cycle. The green exotic plants and abundant water do seem like Shangri-La!

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Western Gardens

We're back again for our last winter movie, where plants have the starring role! This winter we're watching the BBC series "American Gardens" to visit beautiful gardens in the United States. Britain's Monty Don hosts the show, and so far we have visited prairie gardens of the midwest and the eastern  part of the country, and the private and estate gardens of the south. In this episode, Monty visits gardens of the western part of the country, and experiences its awe-inspiring landscapes. So pop some corn and grab a cool drink, and let's join Monty as he tours the west in search of the typical American garden.

Monty starts his tour in Arizona at the Sonoran desert with its plants that are adapted for its extreme heat. He learns more about desert plants and their marvelous survival strategies at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, and visits landscape architect Steve Martino's private garden. Its design includes plantings inside the house as well as outside, and incorporates elements of shade, light, and shadow. His garden emphasizes sanctuary and privacy, in a break from attitudes in the east where lawns run into lawns.

Next stop is Palm Springs with its mid-century glamor and style (we know a little about Palm Springs here at Eden By The Bay)! He visits private gardens, where air conditioning has brought the garden inside, and Sunnylands, a private garden that is now used for diplomacy. Next he heads for Los Angeles in a red convertible, to visit several private gardens with tropical themes, and a school in Altadena where students grow and cook food as part of the curriculum. He visits Lotus Land in Santa Barbara, to experience Madame Ganna Walska's theatrical and eclectic collection of plants and art, and Henry Cowell State Park near San Jose to marvel at the forest of Sequoia sempervirens. 

Monty ends his tour in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He visits Windcliff north of Seattle (Dan Hinkley's plant-hunter garden), and Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle (where plants and Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures are integrated). He spends time thinking at Amazon's The Spheres, and visits Bloedell Reserve where old- and new-growth trees are integrated. Monty concludes that there is no such thing as a definitive American garden. Instead, its gardens capture the frontier spirit - that you can do anything you believe you can. 

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Southern Gardens

Time for more winter movies, where plants get top billing! This year we're watching the BBC series "American Gardens" hosted by Britain's Monty Don. This time Monty visits beautiful Southern gardens during a heat spell in his quest for America's contribution to garden design. So make yourself a cup of hot chocolate (or a mint julep), and let's join Monty in his search for the typical American garden.

Monty starts in Washington D.C. at the home of former United Kingdom ambassador Nigel Kim Darroch, who observes that many American gardens do not have fences (lawns simply run into lawns), and speculates that Americans like big open spaces without boundaries. Next, Monty visits Monticello to learn about the estate and its history, including Jefferson's scientific contribution to gardens and the complex role that slaves played in sculpting and tending the landscape.

Across the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia horse country, Monty visits Oak Spring, designed by Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, and is surprised by its modest loveliness. In Charleston, South Carolina he visits Middleton Place, which was first settled in the 1670s, and is one of the oldest landscape gardens in the United States. Monty is surprised to see an alligator lounging on the lawn, and loves the ancient oaks festooned with long draping moss. He visits several private gardens and learns how much the hot humid climate of the South has shaped gardens in South Carolina. 

In Miami, Florida, Monty visits Vizcaya, a Renaissance garden built in the early 1900s, and observes that even with unlimited resources, you can't force some plants to thrive in a Florida swamp. But on the Big Cypress National Preserve he finds a place where many plants thrive. At The Kampong (Indonesian for "enclosure"), he visits the botanical garden of Dr. David Fairchild, a plant collector who sought the best food plant species of the world and changed the face of America's food production. Here Monty sees the Madagascar Periwinkle, or primrose, found by his plant hunter ancestor, and now thought to be important for cancer treatment.

Monty ends his Southern tour in Louisiana, first in New Orleans, where jazz was born and quirky homes and unique gardens abound, and then at rural Longue Vue House & Gardens, with its grand garden rooms. Despite the heat and humidity, Monty seems to enjoy his tour of Southern gardens. I appreciated the straightforward way that he interviewed historians to seek information about the slaves that created and tended the historical gardens of the South. Monty Don notes the optimism that permeates the American garden. 

Winter Movies 2021: Monty Don's Prairie Gardens

It's that time of year again, when we settle in to watch some winter movies, where plants play the starring role! This year I've chosen Monty Don's BBC series "American Gardens". He has  profiled other great gardens of the world, and visited gardens in North, Central and South America in Around the World in 80 Gardens. I always enjoy his perspective and insights on gardens and the landscape. Grab your popcorn and join me as we visit American gardens with Monty Don!

In this episode Monty Don asks whether America has contributed to garden design, and goes in search of the typical American garden style. He starts his tour at the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield, Missouri, which was started in the 1980s to preserve the beauty of the original American grasslands. From there, Don travels to the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago (designed by Dutch landscape designer, Pieter Oudolf, and inspired by the prairies). In New York, Don visits Central Park, a roof top veg patch in Brooklyn, one of the Target Bronx Community Gardens, the New York Flower market (and avant garde florist, Emily Thompson), and strolls The Highline (an elevated train track repurposed as a city park, also inspired by the prairie style). 

On Long Island Monty Don visits restored wetlands and an artist's garden, and in Pennsylvania he encounters suburban gardens with big lawns (and sometimes picket fences), and tours several estate gardens including Chanticleer Gardens and the over-the-top Longwood Gardens. He ends his tour in New Jersey and The Garden at Federal Twist (also inspired by the prairie). Don concludes that the prairies continue to have an impact on American gardens, but that no one style captures the American garden style. Instead, American gardens capture the optimism and pioneer spirit of Americans. Nicely stated!

Summer Movies 2020: The Holy Thief

Welcome back to our summer movie series, in which plants are the real movie stars! This summer we're enjoying more episodes of Cadfael, the British drama series that is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters. The series is set in medieval England, and takes place in the town of Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and works in his garden and medicinal shed to prepare botanical remedies. He served as a soldier in the Crusades and joined the monastery later in life, and is often called upon to use his logic, experience, and plant knowledge to solve local mysteries.

The Holy Thief (Season 4, Episode 1)

In this episode, the year is 1144 and England is torn by civil war as King Stephen and Empress Maud vie for power in The Anarchy. The whole land is in upheaval as factions squirmish and support their cause. Loyalties are strained and property is at risk. The episode begins in a torrential downpour of rain, with Sub-prior Herluin, Brother Tutillo, and a small party travelling from Abbey Ramsey, which was recently destroyed by Empress Maud. At Shrewsbury they request funds, and make an audacious request to take the relic of Saint Winifred. Brother Tutillo has had a vision about a great lady, which Prior Herluin interpets to mean they should acquire the relic to raise funds to rebuild. The Abbey relies on the donations from pilgrims to keep the Abbey running, but surprisingly, Prior Pennant agrees to lend the bones for one year. (Recall in A Morbid Taste for Bones he acquired the relic for the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul).

Sub-prior Herluin insists on travelling with Brother Cadfael on a mission of mercy to the dying Lady Donata. She refuses to see Sub-prior Herluin (because he is always asking for money), but is comforted when Brother Tutillo and the slave girl Daalny sing. Brother Cadfael administers poppy juice to ease Lady Donata's pain (and informs Daalny's troubadour owner that the church opposes slavery). Upon her death, Lady Donata bequeaths valuable gold and jewels to Brother Tutillo. Back at Shrewsbury, the bones of Saint Winifred and the jewels are stolen, Daalny is kidnapped, and the driver is found murdered. Cadfael follows the lead of a red-dyed thread, and works with Sheriff Hugh Beringar to expose the holy thief (even their good relationship is strained by political unrest). To decide where Saint Winifred's bones should rest, stakeholders conduct a sortes Biblicae, each randomly selecting a scripture from the Gospels to discern their path.

This brings our summer movies series to an end for 2020. I hope you've enjoyed these episodes of Cadfael, and the glimpse into the distant past. I really enjoy seeing Brother Cadfael working in his garden and medicinal shed, and solving mysteries using his plant knowledge. It is also interesting to learn more about the English civil war that serves as a backdrop to the series. Brother Cadfael has seen plenty of war in his time, so strives to bring healing where it is needed and calm the strife.

Summer Movies 2020: Saint Peter's Fair

Welcome back to the Summer Movies series for 2020, in which we watch movies where plants are the movie stars. This summer we're travelling back in time to watch more of the British drama series, Cadfael, set in medieval England. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the town of Shrewsbury. He works in his garden and prepares botanical cures in his medicinal shed, and is frequently called upon to use his plant knowledge, intelligence, and worldly experience to solve local mysteries. As a historical backdrop, England is filled with strife between King Stephen and his cousin Princess Maude, as they struggle for power in The Anarchy.

Saint Peter's Fair (Season 3, Episode 2)

This episode, set in late summer 1139, opens on the eve of the annual St. Peter's Fair, with the town of Shrewsbury making preparations, and merchants and tradesmen arriving from the countryside. The local tradespeople are agitated, and meet with the abbot to voice their grievance that they must close their shops for three days during the fair, but still pay the abbey a toll that benefits the church while they lose income. The abbott defends the practice as being part of the charter. Discontent ferments, and, a confrontation erupts in the night between the local and visiting artisans.

The next day a visiting wine seller is found dead, and the abbot charges Cadfael with solving the mystery discreetly, so the fair can continue. The wine merchant's niece, Emma, is determined to honor her uncle by opening their booth during the fair, but is visited by thieves, and accosted in a back alley. Unrest continues in Shrewsbury, as well as curfew breaking, drinking of noxious Vienna liquor, and more deaths. Cadfael begins to think that there is more than petty theft and misdemeanor at work, and suspects political intrigue and possibly a spy. He deftly interviews locals and visitors alike, collects botanical clues, and pieces together stories and timelines that lead to a resolution.

It's a pleasure to see Cadfael working in his garden and medicinal shed, and using his plant knowledge. In this episode, his shed is filled with drying herbs collected over the summer (in The Rose Rent, set in late winter, it was almost bare, no doubt depleted from treating winter ailments). I recommend this series for anyone interested in botany, gardens, mysteries, and the details of everyday medieval life. Edith Pargeter, writing as Ellis Peters, does a wonderful job weaving English history into the fictional series.

Summer Movies 2020: The Rose Rent

Welcome to the Summer Movies series for 2020, in which we watch movies where plants are the movie stars. This summer we're again travelling back in time to watch the British drama series, Cadfael, this time set in early 1142 medieval England. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the town of Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael works in his garden and prepares botanical cures in his medicinal shed (and is frequently called upon to use his plant knowledge, intelligence, and worldly experience to solve local mysteries). The mystery series is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, writing under the pseudonym Ellis Peters, and stars Sir Derek Jacobi.

I confess that I briefly entertained the idea of watching "zombie apocalypse" movies instead. This would give me a chance to rewatch some favorite plague and virus movies like The Dead Don't Die (with its appealing theme song, sung by Sturgill Simpson), I Am Legend, and World War Z. I finally decided that I am a little "pandemic weary", and chose instead to focus on the past with a botanist-healer of medieval times (a time that was no stranger to plagues and disease). The vision of future pandemics is quite daunting, so I'll save the "zombie apocalypse" series for another time (hopefully when we have a vaccine, and COVID-19 is behind us)!

The Rose Rent (Season 3, Episode 1)

In this episode, a wealthy widow, Judith Perle, owns a prosperous clothier business and rents space to artisans and to the abbey for the yearly rent of a single white rose from her property. She requested this arrangement in grief three years before, when her husband and unborn child died within weeks of each other. Several early guilds benefited from the low rent arrangement, including wool carders, weavers, dyers, and Niall the bronzesmith. Several suitors have their hearts (and pocket books) set on the eligible Judith Perle). On the day the rose payment is due from the abbey, Brother Eluric, who typically delivers the rose, is nowhere to be found, so Niall is asked to deliver the rose.

Later Brother Eluric is found dead with a knife nearby, and the white rose bush fatally damaged. The dyeing rose bush causes angst among the renters, who must now pay full rent, so Judith sets off at night to the abbey to remove the rose rent requirement, but never arrives. Sheriff Hugh Beringar and Cadfael are called in to investigate the death of Brother Eluric, and the disappearance of Judith. They trawl the river and discover Judith's cloak, and the impression of a boot in the mud. They take a wax casting of the boot print, and search the town, river, and environs for clues. Several more deaths ensue. Cadfael interviews those closest to Judith, and figures out who stands to gain the most. In a dramatic ending, the rose bush is consumed by fire and the guilty party is revealed. Judith is found and Niall delivers the last rose rent, as he had been asked, in a satisfying finish. 

I really enjoy the glimpse into medieval life that Cadfael mystery series provides. Peters always supplies an interesting cast of characters, and incorporates many historical details into her stories. I always feel that I learn something new. In this episode the arrangement of the rose rent was intriguing and community-minded, and the glimpses of the early trade guilds was also insightful. As always, Cadfael uses his mind, compassion, and experience to bring resolution. I found the DVD through the local library system (checked out using new "contact-less" procedures), and online retailers, such as Acorn Media.

Winter Movies 2020: A Morbid Taste for Bones

Welcome back to our winter movie series, in which plants are the real movie stars! This winter we're enjoying several episodes from Cadfael, the British drama series that is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, also known as Ellis Peters. The series is set in medieval England in the early 1100s, and takes place in the fictional Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and works in his garden and medicinal shed to prepare botanical remedies. He joined the monastery later in life, after serving in the Crusades, and is often called upon to use his logic, experience, and plant knowledge to solve local mysteries.

A Morbid Taste for Bones (Season 2, Episode 3)

Prior Robert Pennant feels called to collect the remains of Saint Winifred from Wales and bring them to the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, where they will be better cared for and revered. Brother Columbanus, a young and ambitious monk, sees visions and communicates with Winifred in his reverie, which seems to support the prior's mission. The prior and several monks set out for Gwytherin, where Saint Winifred has been buried for hundreds of years, to collect her bones. Brother Cadfael is ordered to travel with them since he is Welsh and may be an asset. He does so reluctantly as he sees more human ambition (the benefits of a relic in their abbey) than a divine mission.

At Gwytherin the monks receive hospitality from the local parish priest, but resistance from the villagers. When Rhisiart (a wealthy landowner and vocal critic of moving Saint Winifred) is found murdered, Brother Cadfael is given three days to catch the killer and convince the villagers to relinquish Saint Winifred. A key clue is a missing dose of poppy juice, which Brother Cadfael uses to relieve pain. Cadfael sorts through all the passions, motives, and intrigues of the suspects to identify the killer and bring a satisfying resolution.

This brings our winter movies series to an end for 2020. I hope you've enjoyed these episodes of Cadfael, as we wait out the cold, dark days of winter for the warm, productive days of spring ahead. I've really enjoyed seeing Brother Cadfael working in his garden and medicinal shed, and solving mysteries using his plant knowledge. It's interesting to note the "useful" nature of the garden at this time, to grow produce, cultivate orchards, and provide medicinal herbs that are used in healing. To learn more about medieval gardens and their place in gardening history, see Garden History – Medieval Gardens and Elements of the Medieval Garden. Useful gardens are one of the many stepping stones through time that have brought us to the modern gardens of today.

Winter Movies 2020: Monk's Hood

Welcome back to the Winter Movies series for 2020, in which we watch movies where plants are the true stars. This year we're travelling back in time to watch the British drama series, Cadfael, set in 1138 medieval England. Brother Cadfael is a Benedictine monk in the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the fictional town of Shrewsbury. Brother Cadfael works in his garden and prepares botanical cures in his medicinal shed (and is frequently called upon to use his plant knowledge, intelligence, and worldly experience to solve local mysteries).

Monk's Hood (Season 1, Episode 4)

A wealthy and cruel nobleman plans to cede his estate to the abbey, to spite one of his sons as part of an ongoing family conflict. Later the nobleman dies after eating a gift of fowl that was cooked at the abbey, and somehow laced with poison from monk's hood (Aconitum spp.). The son is immediately suspected of murder, and arrested for a speedy trial. The poison source is one of Cadfael's preparations, which uses monk's hood to make a medicinal rubbing oil that is not meant to be ingested.

Complications slow down the legal process a bit, since the noble family is Welsh and subject to Welsh laws instead of English laws. Cadfael suspects the son is not the murderer, and uses the time to investigate the crime while waiting for sheriff Hugh Beringar to return from the field. Cadfael feels that his own honor is at stake, since the murder weapon was one of his potions. When Beringar returns from the field, they work together to ensure justice is served.

In this episode we meet Cadfael's former love interest who now lives in Shrewsbury, and learn more of Cadfael's past from the days before he left for the Crusades. This episode is also interesting for glimpses into the inheritance laws at work in the 1100s, and the separate application of English and Welsh laws depending on the family origin. It's also a pleasure to see Cadfael at work in his garden and medicinal shed, and using his plant knowledge to help the people of Shrewsbury.  I recommend this series for anyone interested in botany, gardens, mysteries, and the details of everyday medieval life.

Winter Movies 2020: One Corpse Too Many

We're deep into winter, and it's time to hunker down to enjoy winter movies, in which plants are the stars! This time I'm watching episodes from the British drama series, Cadfael, which aired from 1994 through 1998. The mystery series is based on the books by Edith Pargeter, writing under the pseudonym Ellis Peters, and stars Sir Derek Jacobi.

The series is set in medieval England in 1138 during the 20-year civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. It takes place in the fictional Shrewsbury, but several characters are based on real people.

One Corpse Too Many (Season 1, Episode 1)

In the opening episode, rebels are in control of King Stephen's castle in Shrewsbury, but are overthrown by supporters of the King. The 94 rebels are sentenced to death by hanging, and the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Shrewsbury is called upon to give last rights. The monk, Cadfael, is assigned the task. Brother Cadfael is a Welshman in his 60s who was called to the monastery late in life after an adventurous life as a Crusader in the Middle East for 15 years, then as the captain of a fishing boat. While in the Middle East he learned how to garden and heal with herbs. At the abbey he tends his vegetable garden and prepares herbal remedies in his medicinal shed.

Cadfael soon discovers there are 95 bodies, instead of 94 (one corpse too many), and the 95th was strangled not hanged. He sets out to find the murderer. During the investigation, loyalties are tested and motivations questioned. Cadfael finds botanical clues to track down the killer, and administers healing herbs to those in need. His knowledge and intelligence solves the crime and brings justice. Brother Cadfael finds a friend and ally in Hugh Beringar, who is appointed sheriff of Shrewsbury for his part in solving the crime and proving his loyalties.

I enjoyed seeing Cadfael's character at work in his garden and his medicinal shed, and the small details of medieval life. His worldly experience serves him well as he solves the crime and engages with those he encounters along the way. I also appreciated learning more about this time in British history. This is the perfect series to watch while waiting out the winter, until the gardening days of spring. I found the DVD at a local library, and through online retailers, such as Acorn Media.