Y is for…

Y is for…Yellow!

When we moved to this house six years ago, I said very sternly that I wasn’t going to have yellow flowers in the garden. I can’t think why I did that now, and over the last few years yellow flowers have appeared everywhere, some planted by me, some brought in by the birds.

I was looking through my photos last night and thought what a lot of yellow…. from forsythia enthusing about the return of Spring, to the clematis of late Summer, a lemon bundt birthday cake, a tin of golden ghee for dosa making, nettle gnocchi, hot ginger piccalilli,  sublime flag irises on the Levels, a golden sunset in the rain heading down the motorway and more…

How could I have thought to keep yellow out of my life?

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23 thoughts on “Y is for…”

  1. Misk Cooks

    I happen to love yellow. It’s the colour that accents my kitchen. I don’t wear yellow well but I love living with it. As for yellow in the garden, I think the English sun doesn’t compliment bright, hot colours well. A pale yellow copes better than a hot yellow. Probably for the same reason that sunflowers are native to warm climates? If you decided that yellow wasn’t for your garden, then what colour did you want?

    1. Joanna Post author

      I just played the slideshow through and realise that I had left two photos out somehow, so I have added the fennel and the clematis just now. When will I get myself organized properly? (Don’t answer that ;) )

      The original colour scheme was based round reds for the most part. This is a very sunny garden and I thought hot colours. It was far more colourist when I started, more of a hodge podge now, as plants have died and I have got enthusiastic about others. It’s all part of the fun….

  3. C

    Beautiful selection of yellow in your photos – all different shades, and reminds me just how much yellow there is. I love yellow, so cheery and sunny when the weather is gloomy.

    I thought Y might be for yeast…

    I’ve enjoyed this series so much. Like Celia I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ll do for Z, but I’ll be really sorry that the series has ended!

    1. Joanna Post author

      Yes, I thought it might have been for yeast, or yoghurt, but what can I say about yeast apart from what a miraculous member of the fungi family it is ?

      I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying this, I have too :)

    1. Joanna Post author

      Just found another one of the flowers that inspired me to write this and then forgot to add to the slideshow. Well I’ve added it now for you x

  5. heidi

    Yellow is such a cheery color!
    It is a great accent color, but can really take center stage in an instant!
    I have those yellow Iris flags growing in my back garden- I try to time my times away so that I don’t miss the display of proud yellow spears!
    I, too, have so enjoyed your alphabet series. Your creative and humorous approach to writing is a delight, Joanna- thanks for the work that goes into each post!
    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ- what will it be?

    1. Joanna Post author

      It’s been a bit random I have to admit. Some people plan these things like a military campaign but mine have been pretty much day to day.

      ZZZZZ is nearly ready… :D

  6. emilysincerely

    Yelling and Yipping for Yellow! I have one garden that is dedicated to yellows and reds. And I have pale yellow walls throughout our living room and into the breakfast area. I really like it. The color was there when we bought the house and I liked it. I love your yellow slideshow. I think it is funny how you didn’t want any yellows in your garden originally. I have had similar thoughts aboutt things…No this, or No that…and before you know it (10 years later, or 3 years later) there it is. I think we all change. I am glad you have yellow in your life. Emily

  7. Jeannette

    I love yellow in the garden, I think it looks like sunshine and we could always do with more of that! But I don’t like yellow in the house or in my clothes and I HATE yellow cars! I can’t understand how anyone can spend thousands of pounds on a yellow car….. OH, I do hope I haven’t offended anyone if you have a yellow car.

    1. Joanna Post author

      Funny that about the cars. My father once came home with a yellow Fiat sports car, he was having one of those moments. Fiat do yellow like no one else. He would drop us at our bus stop in the morning for school, and sometimes if the bus had gone, the yellow peril would shriek into actions and race along the road till it got to overtake the bus as it stopped and then got ahead by the next stop… I have fond memories of that car :)

  8. ceciliag

    So lovely, I love a lot of white in the garden for a night glow and banned orange!! well the orange got me back as well! So i did smile about your yellow! what were we thinking? c

    1. Joanna Post author

      Orange. Ah yes, orange, I have orange poppies that sort of arrived and now they are everywhere. You just have to give up occasionally and let the flowers do their thing. White is lovely though I do agree. Vita Sackville West had an all white garden at Sissinghurst Castle which I visited several years ago. Just beautiful :)

    1. Joanna Post author

      Ashamed to say not up to date with music, so am playing this now on YouTube and watching a nice young man walking along a beach… says it’s EMI and lots of copyright so don’t think I can embed here….

      lovely thanks :)

    1. Joanna Post author

      We’re nearly there…. just a few more photos to upload, waiting for the morning sunshine to arrive :D

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