Floral clock (Frankfort, Kentucky)

Dedicated in May 1961 by Governor Bert T. Combs, the clock was constructed as a joint project between the state government and the Garden Club of Kentucky.

[1][2] On April 10, 1961, Combs appropriated US$50,000 from the governor's contingency fund to construct the clock on the lawn of the state capitol.

"[2] In a subsequent gubernatorial campaign, Chandler mocked the clock, declaring "Well, they don't say it's half past 2 in Frankfort anymore.

[6] Until the early 1970s, coins thrown into the pool were used by Kentucky's child care agencies to purchase recreation and gym equipment and to fund Garden Club scholarships to the University of Kentucky for students studying horticulture or land design; now the money is used solely for scholarships.

[1] Every hour, an additional control mechanism makes any necessary corrections to the displayed time and is capable of resetting the clock in the event of a power failure.

[8] In 2002, the capitol grounds, including the floral clock, were featured on the HGTV series "Great American Gardens".