5) The Rose Garland (5 of 6)
5) The Rose Garland (5 of 6)
In 1896, the first tradition of roses were introduced, when the winner received a bouquet of white and pink roses.
It wasn’t until 1904 that red roses became the official flower of the Kentucky Derby.
Now, each year, a garland of more than 400 red roses is sewn into a green satin backing with the seal of the Commonwealth on one end and the Twin Spires and number of the race’s current renewal on the other.
The garland is also adorned with a crown of roses, green fern, and ribbon. A single rose that points upward in the center of the garland, symbolizes the struggle and heart necessary to reach the Derby Winner’s Circle.
The Kroger Company has been the official florist of the Kentucky Derby since 1987 and assembles the garland in one of their local stores.