I'm fairly certain that I mentioned oxalyis in my mid-march newsletter last year otherwise known as clover, or shamrock.
According to some of my highly scientific research, (ahem, Google) the word 'shamrock' is from the Gaelic language and means simply, "summer plant."
More research (OK, Googling) revealed the little tidbit that St. Patrick used this 3-leaved plant, common to Ireland, to teach the local inhabitants about the trinity; 3 from 1.
I like that story, even if it's been made up, because we could use it today to to teach our children the same lesson in a fun way that's associated to nature.
Last year, I told you about oxalyis"Iron Cross"which is a little bulb that yields tall stems of FOUR leaved clovers that are green with a rusty red center (thus the "iron cross.") Iron Cross is a favorite of mine because it grew in my mothers flower bed and we loved to show off our abundant good luck to visitors, as well as eat the tart stem and leaves in salads.
You can find this in garden catalogs and often in your local nurseries.
This year, I'm going to pass along some different info, which is that clover makes an excellent lawn. Instead of constantly caring for your precious grass, which takes far too much water, weeding, and worry, plant clover.
Clover is a nitrogen fixer - often used in cover crops - and does not need fertilized. It is dense and green and has an aggressive root system that is excellent at choking out weeds such as dandy lion, stays green with NO water, and has pretty little white flowers.
It does not need mowing because it doesn't grow tall, but you can mow it from time to to time to encourage new growth and clip the dead flowers.
If you have a troublesome grass lawn, think about giving clover a try. And if you do, make sure you tell us about it!
Grow a little good luck!