But How Do You Wind It?

In honor of the Missouri Botanical Garden's 150th anniversary, the very Victorian idea of the floral clock has been dusted off and revitalized. At twenty feet in diameter, MOBOT's version of the floral clock is big enough to be seen from a distance, but this one is powered by solar offsets from the solar panels in the Kemper Center for Home Gardening — and it has a cuckoo sound effect that chirps off the quarter hours. Still, it's not all Buck Rogers-futuristic stuff; the clock has a traditional kaleidoscope face of flowers for spring, which will give way to a veddy proper sun-and-moon motif for summer. And just like in the old days, keeping the clock face clearly defined requires daily upkeep. Those low-growing flowers require constant shearing and watering by the team of ten horticulturists assigned to clock duty. The Missouri Botanical Garden's (4344 Shaw Boulevard; 314-577-9900 or www.mobot.org). Victorian floral clock is visible daily through October. Regular garden admission ($3 to $8) applies.
May 1-Oct. 1, 2009