Every year when I look out and see clover in my yard, my heart leaps with the happiness of seeing an old friend. I absolutely love the stuff. Why on earth anyone would want to kill it off with herbicide goes beyond my comprehension! Here are just a few of the things I love about it:
- White clover attracts beneficial insects, and naturally controls bug populations. As a gardener, this means a lot. Whiteflies? Watch out! White clover attracts parasitic wasps (the itty bitty kind, not the big nest building kind) and bees. Bees pollinate vegetables, fruits and flowers. Unless you are allergic to them, welcome them to your gardens for much greater abundance!
- Beautiful to look at, white clover also smells good!
- Rabbits absolutely LOVE to eat white clover. Last week I looked out to my garden to see a rabbit, with his back turned to my garden, happily munching on the adjacent patch of clover. Made us both happy!
- Clover adds nitrogen to soil, and that means a free, organic fertilizer. Not only that, but it does not require me to do anything!
- Clover makes great necklaces, jump ropes and bracelets for kids. Any one else remember hours of picking clover in the summer and tying their stems together for a necklace?
- Once and awhile, the four leaf clover passes my path, and occasionally just when it means the most. Years ago my youngest nephew’s baseball team lost a close game in the finals. Devastated, he mournfully recounted the details and asked if he would win a championship like his brother? Fate smiled on me that day, as I looked down and saw a four leaf clover to pick and give to him as reassurance.
- Honey from the flowers tastes heavenly.
- It is soft to walk on. Careful to watch for bees – the carpet and cushion of clover is so comfortable to walk on, your yard will be a joy to pad around in.
