Yellow roses speak of springtime, renewal and friendship. As a color of enduring friendship, faithful attention and devotion, yellow roses are a perfect choice to send to newlyweds, graduates and new mothers. Along with their beauty and thoughtfulness, yellow roses also have an interesting history and an ability to convey many messages simultaneously.

Yellow roses were first discovered around the 18th century. The Frenchman Joseph Permet-Ducher is credited with this discovery. After approximately 20 years of attempting to breed a hearty yellow rose, he stumbled upon a mutant yellow rose in a field. With this specimen, he was able to duplicate its structure and create the first yellow roses. Interestingly, the first yellow roses that were cross-bred didn’t smell pleasant. With time, breeders refined their methods and gradually ensured that yellow roses would smell as sweet and beautiful as all other rose color choices.

For obvious reasons, the color yellow has long been associated with the sun. As a warm, radiating body, the sun has become a focus of worship by many societies. Therefore, the fiery yellow color of the potent sun has come to represent joy, wisdom and power. Ironically, paler shades of yellow are also associated with notions of subdued calm and inner peace. During the Victorian era, pale yellow veered away from this positive interpretation and was seen as a “pale” color which was interpreted as a demonstration of lukewarm affection or jealousy. With time, yellow roses have overcome this interpretation and are, once again, appreciated for their positive connotations of warmth, friendship, happiness and companionship.

While most rose colors convey passion and romantic love, yellow roses stand alone in their message of appreciation, platonic love and devotion. They are a beautiful way to brighten someone’s day, to express congratulations, and to bring a smile to someone’s face. Yellow roses are the flowers of choice for graduation ceremonies, baby showers, retirement parties and many other jovial occasions. They also make a beautiful choice as part of a bouquet or centerpiece for a spring or fall wedding.

Another beautiful interpretation of yellow roses is the notion of renewal. A bouquet of yellow roses represents a desire to start fresh and the hope for a better tomorrow. Accordingly, yellow roses are a perfect way to apologize and to make amends. In a secure relationship, a bouquet of yellow roses also indicates calm contentment, undying love, and comfort. Yellow roses tell a spouse or partner that you value them everyday and that you see them as the fulfillment of your needs. This flower and color are, therefore, aptly associated with the fifteenth wedding anniversary.

Nothing conveys friendship, renewal, and reconciliation quite like yellow roses. These flowers stand alone in their meaning and serve a beautiful purpose for communicating messages of promise and congratulations with the utmost sincerity.