"The three plants form the basis for primary colors. They were often combined to make other shades like green, orange, purple ...

They might, however, plant beds every year ... and this forms what is known in the market as " mull-madder," which is only used in dyeing blacks bottle-greens, and dark browns.

The root of the madder plant produced a red colour, woad offered blue and yellow was derived from weld. Plants were soaked in hot water and wool was immersed in the dye bath. Stale urine may have ...