Shamrocks and Robins

This past week one of the birds we most look forward to seeing arrived in the garden. The robins are back. The week started out lovely with above zero temperatures (Celsius) and with that the melting starting. Within a day or so there were patches of grass showing and I knew that meant the robins would be back.

Even though the calendar still says winter it was beginning to feel and look like spring. We know March can be a cruel month and the weather can switch back and forth rapidly between a winter that doesn’t want to let go and spring that is having a hard time arriving.

Our family celebrates three birthdays in March, mine on the 12th, our oldest daughter on the 13th and my husband on the 31st. One of us usually gets birthday snow! So far, so good, and no snow has arrived, which is fine by me.

In yesterday’s post I shared the cactus plants I got for my birthday. I also got a lovely shamrock plant in a most unusual planter. This will be the perfect planter to add to my garden. My whacky friend always manages to find the neatest, most unusual gifts.

Meet planter duck!

There is a little spot in the back to hold a plant and she added a pot of shamrocks. Just perfect as I was looking at getting a new one when I decided on the cacti instead. Till the weather is nice enough to put plants outside he has a home on one of the china cupboards beside s sunny window. When planter duck does go outside he’ll have a different plant in the holder. Here’s why.

The shamrock plant is a member of the wood sorrel family of the genus oxalis and traditionally has green leaves with white flowers. Leaves can also be the deep almost purple colour with pinkish flowers. The traditional cluster of 3 heart shaped leaves and white flowers makes it a true shamrock.

This is a lovely plant to have in winter and many call it the lucky shamrock plant. It is one of a few plants that go dormant in the summer. It needs to be trimmed back, kept in a darker spot with limited watering. New shoots will appear when the dormancy is over, anywhere from a few weeks up to 3 months. The plant grows from tiny bulbs and should be ready to grow again by Autumn. You can divide the rhizomes when they start to grow again and propagate more plants.

The shamrock plant is linked to St. Patrick’s Day and the tradition that goes back to the 18th century, when wearing the green was a sign you supported the Irish rebellion but if you were caught wearing green it could be a hanging offence. Shamrocks were hidden on the clothing to show support. Now wearing green is encouraged on that day and if you don’t you could get pinched!