Botanical Printing Workshop

Botanical Printing Workshop at The Cabrach Trust

On Saturday 28th July, we welcomed 11 wonderful participants to our full-day Botanical Printing Workshop—part of our ongoing Rural Skills and Wellbeing Programme. With a warm breeze and a hint of summer sunshine, Inverharroch Farm provided the perfect setting for a day of creativity, connection, and calm.

We were delighted to partner once again with Naturally Useful, based in Rafford. Their values around sustainability, craftsmanship and care for the natural world are so closely aligned with our own here at The Cabrach Trust. We always enjoy working with them and watching their passion for plants, nature and traditional skills inspire others.

Three of our attendees were brand new to our workshops—welcome! It’s always exciting to see our community grow and evolve.

The day began as all good days should—with a cuppa and a pastry. Over introductions and a bit of chat, the group got to know each other before diving into the world of botanical printing. Amy from Naturally Useful led the workshop, sharing her deep knowledge of natural dye processes and infectious enthusiasm for plant-based creativity.

Participants experimented with a range of leaves and flowers, guided by Amy’s top tips for the best results. But of course, nature likes to do its own thing—so surprises are always part of the magic! Using natural materials only, guests were able to print on both paper and plant-based fabric. The bundles were then steamed for around two hours to transfer the delicate patterns.

During the steaming time, we tried our hand at Hapazome—a joyful, hands-on technique that involves hammering the natural colour out of leaves and flowers onto fabric. The sound of gentle laughter and rhythmic tapping filled the space as everyone embraced the creativity (and perhaps some stress relief too!).

The results were stunning. Each person left with a beautiful collection of prints and a new creative skill, not to mention a deeper connection to the natural world and a sense of calm and satisfaction.

As always, our Rural Skills and Wellbeing Programme offers a wide variety of workshops throughout the year. Members of The Cabrach Trust are the first to hear when new workshops are released—and they enjoy priority booking.

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