Though it is St. Francis's statue that we often see in gardens, he is actually the protector of the living creatures who venture there, including the squirrels that dig up the bulbs. But I am sure that's just an oversight.
Ms. Bruno writes that St. Fiacre was an Irish monk, whose feast is celebrated in Ireland and France on September 1. (OK, we're a little late here.)
Here is more from her essay.
The miracle upon which his sainthood is based is this: He asked for more land for gardening and was told that he could have however much he was able to till in a day. Though the exact area of ground is not clear, he did overturn trees and remove rocks and briars to clear the land in a day.
The effort was declared miraculous, as I am sure many gardeners today would agree.
Photo credit: Flickr/ TravelingMermaid