I often use this phrase. In Appalachia, “nary a one” means none, not one, none at all.
This year, although the wild dogwood trees in the woods around us burst out in beautiful blooms, the three trees in our back garden had no blooms, nary a one.
Likewise, although I have enjoyed seeing the photos of irises so many bloggers have posted this year, nary a one of our iris plants has bloomed.
Do you say, “Nary a one,” or have you ever heard it used?
Unexpected in common hours 
I have heard it before, in a couple old folk songs.
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That’s interesting! I may have heard it in old folk songs, too, but it may not have registered in my brain because I’m so used to hearing it said. 🙂
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So many of the old American folk songs came from Appalachia.
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Yes, they did. I grew up listening to and singing many of those old songs.
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