Norwich City Football Club “The Canaries”

The yellow and green colours of Norfolk’s local football club are based on their Canary mascot, but they could just as easily be based on the colours that drape the landscape this time of the year.

Each springtime they play host to fields of rapeseed. These bright yellow crops break up the broad swatches of green, and are seasonal reminders that winter is over and spring is on its way.

Fields of Rapeseed

Rapeseed oil was produced in the 19th century as a source of a lubricant for steam engines. Originally it was less useful as food for animals or humans because it has a bitter taste due to high levels of glucosinolates.

But now varieties have been cultivated to reduce the volume of glucosinolates, and create a more palatable oil that is ideal for human consumption.

As well as all these Norfolk rapeseed oil crops, there are plenty of other examples where yellow and green are the predominant colours during walks through the local area.

Yellow Flowers in Norfolk

I’m a sucker for poppies, and although the traditional red crimson poppies are my favourite variety, this yellow poppy that had recently escaped from its bud casing is a welcome addition to the area.

Dandelions pepper the fields this time of year, and I know some people consider them to be a weed, but they have medicinal properties. When we were growing up, the other kids used to joke that if you touched a dandelion you’d wet your pants. Not too far from the truth – dandelions are a diuretic.

And I challenge anyone to walk past a dandelion seedpod head without picking it up, and then blowing it to make a wish.

Another flower that reminds me of my childhood years, is the common buttercup. As a child, we held this flower under a person’s chin to see if it reflected yellow on the skin. If it did, that meant that you liked butter. In actuality it shines yellow every time!

And of course we can’t forget the common daisy (aka the English or Lawn daisy) which will never go out of style because it’s always needed for a daisy chain.

The Psychology of Yellow and Green

If we look at the countryside from a psychological perspective, green represents abundance, renewal, growth and nature.

It’s a harmonizing, balancing and calming color, so no wonder a walk down the country lanes can rejuvenate the soul.

Meanwhile, the color yellow represents optimism, and in interior design it’s often used to grab attention.

This is because yellow is the brightest and most noticeable colour in the visible spectrum for humans. It’s also believed to influence the left side of our brains, which is used for deep thinking and perception.

If you look at the impact of green and yellow on our psyche, is it any wonder when we have a problem or challenge we’re trying to solve, that a walk in nature is the best place for us?

Why does a walk in the country rejuvenate us so much? Could it be the colors of the countryside. #Norfolk #countrylife Share on X