My Irish Garden

Facebook is famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for their quizzes. They are quirky and a total waste of time. That doesn't stop me or thousands of others from taking them now and then, however. You can take a quiz that tells you what season you are (I'm Summer), what flower you are (Nigella), and where you should be living. I took that quiz yesterday:

"You belong in Ireland. You love the countryside and you want to spend your life being surrounded by green. You love small towns where you can relax in the pub and have a chat, and several pints! Sunny destinations aren’t important for you, you’d rather be in this beautiful country, where the people are chatty and down to earth and where culture surround you everywhere you go.”

Okay, let's go! Well, in reality, that's not going to happen, so how about a little bit of Irish in my garden? Not in time for St. Patrick's Day - not in my garden - it's too cold yet on March 17th for much to be blooming besides snowdrops and crocuses. But later there will be Oxalis.

Oxalis is better known as the shamrock plant, because it has three leaves on its foliage. That's what we're familiar with, and some of the Oxalis plants have interesting foliage. That, combined with their delicate flowers, makes for a fun and garden-worthy plant.


Often called Brazilian Butterfly Plant or False Shamrock, the burgundy leaves of Oxalis triangularis (subsp. papilionaceae) are in sharp contrast to the pale lavender flowers.


The Iron Cross (Oxalis tetraphylla) is the one better known to be the "good luck" shamrock. These amazing little bulbs just keep producing leaves and flowers all summer long if you let them soak up the sun and give them plenty of water. Both bulbs are tender to our zone, so I have to be sure to bring them in for the winter, but they store well and have performed year after year for me.


And what garden would be complete without a leprechaun? They can be elusive, you know, but when I saw the rainbow over Max's Garden one day, I just knew he was somewhere nearby.



Ah, yes. . . here he is. . .

Hemerocallis 'Leprechaun Eyes'

And more eyes!

Rudbeckia hirta 'Irish Eyes'

On this St. Patrick's Day, I will be spending the day in the garden, as it is unseasonably warm and will be near 70° F. It's my favorite kind of day. I hope you enjoy yours, too.

May there always be work for your hands to do.
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine on your windowpane.
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

~Irish blessing~