The colour Chartreuse

Could the immortal words of Dylan Thomas, “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower” capture chartreuse more? Audacious and mercurial, it is the force of nature, breathing life into spring.

If chartreuse were to be described as the bridge between yellow and green, it would be a suspension bridge, full of energy and motion, used carefully by some and with a frenetic exhilaration by others.

NEON POP

In my work I use chartreuse delicately to bring light and contrast into a colour scheme. And yet, in my home, I have rejoiced in its recent incarnation of neon, adorning my couch with bright splashes of velvety cushions, a delicious contrast against its pale blue. There was much joy in planning this month’s project. Working with the yellowgreen family, a horticultural cacophony branching out from the palest lawn and pistachio to avocado, lime and absinthe, a botancial motif was a must, to summon magical elixirs and herbal tonics to mind.

COLOUR FACTS: CHARTREUSE

Named for the French liqueur during the mid-18th century, chartreuse was a darling of the fashion world, saturating silk, velvet and feathers with its jewelled hue.

Despite this, it has also been a divisive colour, invoking a love/hate response.

Absinthe, ‘the green fairy’, was infamous for its ability to produce hallucinations, violence and subsequent moral decay.

Chlorophyll is a pigment that makes leaves appear green, absorbing sunlight which is then converted into energy. Chorophyll breaks down over autumn as the sunlight reduces, letting red, orange and yellow pigments take centre stage.