Monday, April 27, 2009

Your Daily Dose Of The Best Of Derby - Flowers

Derby kicks off the gardening season in Kentucky. We waffle back and forth through March and April nursing a few pansies and putting tents over our early tomato plants but somehow, a week or so before Derby, it is time to fill the windowboxes. The weather goes from 37 to 78, the skies clear and every other street corner is filled with flats of annuals just waiting to go in the ground. We are all required to clean up our yards and houses, hang out a Kentucky flag, and once more admire that most gorgeous of all flower concoctions---The Blanket of Roses. This is draped over the winning horse and has a life all its' own this time of year. Sightseers can watch the 554 red roses being hand-sewn to a green satin backing with the twin spires at one end and the seal of the Commonwealth (we are not a state) on the other. The blanket is draped over the winning horse:

And then the girls get their day. The winning filly at the Kentucky Oaks (day before Derby) is presented with a garland of lilies: And then of course there are the grounds of Churchill Downs in all its' finery: And the rest of the neighborhoods all shined up for the event (even though this is a postcard from way back this still looks pretty much the same): So as you can see, Derby is the time we put our best foot forward. We have all been busy cleaning up debris from the ice storms and the hurricanes we experienced in the last year. Since we've lost so much in the way of plants and trees this season it seems particularly important to show that we weren't defeated by the weather and the whims of nature.

Remember, become a follower to be in the drawing to win a $25 Target gift card or leave a comment for a chance at a copy of Barbara Kingsolver's latest book about living a locavore life for a year. Tomorrow----Derby Hats


















1 comments:

Tatersmama said...

It's coming up to a pretty time of year and it would be great to see this all in person! As much as I love watching the horses, I'm fascinated with the fashions on the field - particularly the hats... so I can't wait until the next post!

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