Yellow Flowers: Joy, Friendship and a Bouquet to Take Home
"Yellow car!" my 11 year-old daughter cries out as I drive her to school. I brace myself, knowing what is coming. WHACK! It's a sweet connection, a slap on my left arm. I hold the wheel steady, and want to reprimand her for doing that whilst I'm driving but my inner child giggles alongisde her. "OW!" I tell her, overexaggerating the pain to participate in the joke. She's laughing, a little bit too pleased with herself about inflicting pain. "Relax, dad, it wasn't that hard. Anyway, it's good luck."
It's rare that my daughter teaches me something new, but when she does, I embrace it making sure to show interest, engage and praise her for her knowledge. Shel tells me, in her own words (that takes the rest of the car journey) all about it's convoluted history.
The tradition of hitting someone when you see a yellow car reportedly began in the Cotswold region, where harvested rapeseed was transported in yellow carts to docks in Bristol for shipment to Dublin. The journey was so hazardous, with threats of bandits and bumpy tracks that overturned carts that dockworkers would punch each other's arms in appreciation when the yellow carts successfully arrived. While that original punch didn't really mean anything, the supersition took hold and soon grew.
By the 18th Century, a punch was seen as a way of wishing travelers good luck. The wives of carters would give their husbands a punch before a journey for safe travels. Children, watching in glee at this childish behaviour performed by adults, adopted the act and turned it into a game - proving that age old hyporcitical saying that us parents so stubbornly swear by, "do as we say not as we do!" Soon children up and down the country, stained yellow by the crop, hit each other joyously upon spotting the rapeseed cart.
"You know, if you had seen a yellow flower, you're response would have been a lot different." I tell her.
"What do you mean?" She asks. It was my turn to educate, having enjoyed years in the flower trade.
The Symbolism of Yellow Flowers
Why is it almost impossible to walk past a field of sunflowers without breaking out in a smile as wide as the flower head? That's not a conincidence. Across cultures and centuries, yellow flowers have carried powerful symbolism.
Ancient Egypt: Yellow marigolds were linked to rebirth and eternal life and often placed at burial grounds.
Ancient China: Yellow chrysanthemums stood for wealth, good fortune, longevity and resilience.
Wales: The national flower, the daffodil, bursts into bloom for St David’s Day every 1 March.
Victorian England: Less flattering, yellow roses were symbols of jealousy and suspicion in floriography, the “language of flowers.”
Modern traditions: Far kinder. Yellow blooms represent happiness, friendship, new beginnings and optimism. In Mexico and across Latin America, 21 September is “Yellow Flower Day,” when bouquets are exchanged to celebrate joy and strong friendships.
So, while my daughter was busy seeking out another yellow car to spot, gearing up to hit me again, I explain that in the world of flowers, yellow is never about pain. It is about joy.
Top Yellow Flowers to Grow for Cutting
If yellow blooms are happiness in botanical form, then growing your own is like bottling sunshine. Here are five of the best yellow flowers for cutting gardens, blooms you can bring indoors or gift to others.
1. Sunflowers
Few flowers are as cheerful. They’re easy to grow from seed after the last frost, and within months you’ll have tall stems topped with huge golden faces. Depending on the variety, you may need to stake them so they don’t keel over. Harvest stems with a fresh diagonal cut to keep them drinking, and don’t forget to save the seeds for next year. Or for snacks.
2. Daffodils
The faithful heralds of spring. Plant bulbs in autumn and they’ll return loyally and lovingly each year. They last well in the vase, but give them their own container for 24 hours first as their sap can be antisocial to other flowers if mixed too soon.
3. Yellow Roses
We’ve forgiven their Victorian bad press. Today they’re celebrated as symbols of joy and friendship. Their elegance makes them perfect for formal bouquets, and they add sunshine to arrangements.
4. Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Cheerful, abundant, and pollinator-friendly, coreopsis offers dainty yellow flowers throughout summer. Cut them often, and they’ll reward you with even more blooms, the floral equivalent of generosity.
5. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
Think of these as the sunflower’s compact cousin. With golden petals and dramatic dark centres, rudbeckias are perfect for rustic bouquets. They flower well into late summer and bring energy and contrast to any display.
Why Yellow Flowers Matter
There we have it, the many layers of meaning that yellow flowers carry, from ancient rituals to modern friendships. They are living messengers of joy, resilience and connection. Planting them isn;t just about colour in the garden; it's about cultivating a mood, a memory, and something to gift to spread joy.
I pull up outside the school gates. My daughter unbuckles her seatbelt, still grinning from her earlier 'victory slap'. She's got her bag, and is about to leave without saying bye again (such is the pull of her friends waiting for her by the entrance), but she hesitates.
"Can you get me a bouquet of yellow flowers? For good luck! I promise I won't hit you again!"
I nod, reluctantly, and laugh to myself as I pull away. The superstition of the yellow car might have left my arm a bit sore, but the wisdom of the yellow flower? That, I think, will last a lifetime.
