TheMondayGarden.com

THE GEESE: Once, these beautiful birds were seriously endangered and the EPA-types still call saving them a victory. Unfortunately, Canada geese have the unpleasant habit of depositing their excrement where they graze. Since they hang out in large flocks, the areas that they frequent become ankle-deep in goose guano. Yuk! (Has anyone tested this stuff for biohazards?) Thankfully, where I live, we generally have only ordinary Canada geese -- not the Giant ones that are rumored to haunt the mid-West.

Since law and a strong animal-rights movement protect the now-plentiful geese, usually only non-violent means can be used to discourage them from overrunning lawns and parks. Some very inventive anti-goose schemes have been tried. One year, the big thing was grape cool-aid. The only measures known to really work are (1) a full time dog-guard, (2) replacing lawn with vegetation too high for the geese to see over (so they can't spot predators), and (3) high-top rubber boots. These remedies, however, have their own problems. We have leash laws for the dogs and tall grass is likely to harbor deer ticks that carry Lyme's disease. (The love part: in Stamford, the CG's have figured out how to use the downtown crosswalks and often hold up summer rush hour traffic, a total non-no in these parts, as everyone waits for them to finish crossing.)

THE LAWNS: Velvet-green expanses advertise that the property owner puts looking good before the heavy toll that pretty lawns take on the environment. Those who don't use 'cides or chemical fertilizers, who cut the grass high, leave the clippings on the lawn, and limit watering, can end up, as my mother did last summer, with large brown patches that encouraged the growth of weeds or, worse yet, erosion.

THE CLOVER: Last summer I noticed that the clover patches were going great guns. (Remember, this article is about clover.) We talked about how sowing one-third clover was once the standard practice. So I started researching clover. Apparently, only Dutch White Clover does for lawns and clover's good for some uses but not for others. Here's the story from the Internet:

"It's nitrogen-fixing (adds nitrogen to the soil) but not very drought-tolerant when grown at the density needed to serve as a lawn alternative. It can't recuperate from heavy foot traffic as well as a grass lawn. Another drawback is that clover stains on clothing are difficult to launder. Dutch white clover attracts lots of honeybees and bumblebees to the flowers - a concern to barefoot kids and people sensitive to stings. Other people may appreciate all the bee activity." colostate.edu

"White Dutch clover … sprouts fast and grows so dependably that it's a valuable aid in getting a new lawn started. Nodules on the roots fix nitrogen from the air. Actually, up to 1/3 the nitrogen your lawn needs can be obtained from white Dutch clover! Grows vigorously even in poor clay subsoil around new home construction. If you want all the benefits of a cover crop but don't want to till early or mow, clover is your best bet. Sow anytime, anywhere, at 1/4 lb. per 1,000 sq. ft. (1lb = $8) Just scatter the seeds, rake lightly, and keep the seed moist until it sprouts -- you're done! Withstands drought, grows well all over the USA, even on barren soil where nothing else wants to grow. Winter hardy and it stays so low you can just till it under in spring." outsidepride.com

So we're thinking about sowing clover seed in the bare patches come spring.

THE LINK: Any way, I was wondering, do Canada Geese like clover? Can we possibly solve two problems with one $8 bag of seed? According to Internet sources, the geese will eat clover, but do they like it as much as the neighbors' mowed grass? We'll find out next summer.

Your New Year's Present: Click here for the personal web site (blog) of my cousin Nancy, a professional artist, gifted at making the ordinary very special. She is also one of the "everyday heroes" otherwise known as "parents of autistic kids". I check Nancy's site daily for inspiration and for the breath-takingly-beautiful photographs.

What the readers said:

Love the clovers. There has always been something playfully cute about clovers. Like they dance around in the

yard with little happy hearts. I tell you when I weed I never pull them out. They are too cute. Lin (NY)

interesting and entertaining. Barbara (NY)

Gorgeous shot of clover. I also love clover in my lawn, although too much and the boys can't walk barefoot in the grass because of bees. But it has such a cheery, friendly and sturdy look. Nancy (PA)