Clover - Photo by Rita Elliott

When you walk in your garden for the first time in 2008, be sure to put your best foot (the right one, according to superstition) forward and decide what section of your yard will become your 'Patch of Luck'.

To start with, instead of vulgar grass, you will want the area covered with four-leaf clovers. They are easy to grow from seeds, and once they have sprouted, they will spread quickly. I am not positive you can find such seeds in Jamaica, but they are readily available in 'foreing', Miami being the closest place.

Of course, you will want to have several lucky bamboos, preferably in filtered shade and close, maybe, to a water feature. These plants are said to bring lucky fortune, happiness and prosperity to whoever has them. They are easily found in the Corporate Area.

Remember too that in China, the colour red expresses joy, is used to ward off evil, and is also regarded as the 'lucky colour'. Bring luck and joy into your garden for luck by installing several flaming red plants, such as stately cannas

Jade tree

Try to get your hands on a jade tree (not vine!). Jade tree has becomes more and more popular because of its miraculous ability to bring income into a house. If the tree (shrub, in fact) grows well, has big, round leaves, financial affairs are bound to take a favourable turn.

Before you start ringing my phone off the hook, I promise to devote a full article to this interesting specimen in a couple of weeks! Just be a little patient!

Beautiful Crown of Thorns also has its place in a garden for luck. The more blooms grow on it, the greater the overall luck for its owner. I know a gardener with a firm belief in this notion. Every morning, he inspects the numerous Crown of Thorn enhancing his garden. The appearance of new buds fill him with joy. He counts the total number of blooms and if some are missing, have dropped off, he is upset for the entire day!

If you asked old folks about the beneficial feature of local plants, they surely will be able to give you more information. It could be the start of a pleasant hobby ...