I have something called Valerian "Phu", which puts up low, bright golden rosettes in spring - bit boring the rest of the year though.

Also, Smyrnium perfoliatum, a spring-flowering umbellifer beloved of Christopher Lloyd - creates pools of shiny yellow-green right now. Tuberous, was hard to get going initially but is now well under way in my garden. I think seed needs to be fresh - I can send you some of last year's. It dies away after flowering. I would really, really recommend this one.

There's a Philadelphus coronarius which is a good yellow in spring - rather a weak grower, which might be a good thing!

I have a Cotinus "Golden Spirit" - I personally don't like it nearly as much as the purple type, but it has not really got up to full strength yet. I have cut it right back this year for the first time to get the lovely, large new foliage - it may make more impact now. I would say the foliage is greener rather than yellower, especially as the season wears on. It is in full sun.

Sambucus will take the same treatment - cut hard back in February and you will get fresh, larger than average foliage, but no flowers. Takes a bit of nerve, though, waiting for it to bud out, and the yellow varieties are likely to be weaker growing - I have Black beauty because my thing is purple foliage!. I would only try it with a well-established plant, and do it before the sap rises (bit late now?!)

What about some of the Euphorbias, they gert pretty limey at this time of year?

Thanks for all that information.

I like the purple leaved Cotinus as well. I didn't even realise there was a light green one until I saw it in a garden centre last weekend. It was a pretty poor specimen. One long spindly stem and just coming into leaf, so it was difficult to tell what colour it was going to be. I am after a shrub that is the colour of a Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' and stays that shade all summer. I suppose I could just grow a Robinia and coppice it. Would that work?

I had forgotten about Sambucus. I walked past one today that was a beautiful colour, a really bright lime green.

I agree, euphorbias are great for bright green flowers. My clump of E.robbiae is pretty good at the moment. E wulfenii is striking as well.

I'd love some Smyrnium seed. I was admiring it a couple of Christopher Lloyd's books, but I've never grown it. Would you like me to send you an SAE?

I'd be delighted to send some seeds. I also have a small tuber in a pot, that way you'd be able to keep an eye on it, although the foliage will die back quite soon now. I'll pm you with my address.

There's a sambucus called Sutherland's Gold. I think there is a good plant of it at my local leisure centre, but when I sneaked a few cuttings off it they wouldn't take. Divine retribution? Are yellow things resistant to rooting?

I have a Robinia in a large pot, although its rootball was puny last time I looked and didn't fill up the pot at all. I'm rather surprised it's still alive. I can't remember it's provenance but as a sapling it must have had its head chopped off because now it's like a 4' stick with a few branches at the top, rather like an umbrella. Still nice, though. If you coppiced a strong -growing one planted in the ground it might well work.

The Cotinus Golden Spirit is not as yellow as the robinia. More of a green-flushed yellow, maybe with a hint of red in it too.

Another option is Gleditsia triacanthos "Sunrise". Quite pretty but it always looks like it's got dead bits on. I like a plant to look lush and enthusiastic.

Amanda1, I have tried to email you via the site but it doesn't seem to have worked - can you try emailing me?

How about a pollarded / coppiced Catalpa bignonoides "Aurea" for your yellow shrub? Nice big leaves, too.

Two to add to your list:

1) Spirea japonica cultivars, e.g. 'Goldflame'.

2) Leycesteria formosa 'Gold Leaf'/'Golden Lanterns': the first can be grown very easily from seed, available from Plant World Devon. The second is available as a plant.

Both the above have golden foliage with red-tinged new growth and are very attractive.

Take a look at griselinia littoralis (New Zealand Privet). Real acid/lime green foliage and pretty tough. You can see a pic at the link below

Here is a link that might be useful: Griselinia littoralis