The numbers of the dead continue to rise after the Stone’s put to rest their two hanging baskets. The heat, plus no outdoor air conditioning ultimately took the lives of the two beautiful young hanging baskets, who were only in this world for a couple of months. “You know when you buy hanging baskets, they are eventually going to die,” said Karen Stone, ‘mother’ of the baskets. “It’s just that these were so young. I felt like we took excellent care of them. Watering them twice a day, miracle grow, and we even took them down during the hail storms. At what point is the government going to step in? It is getting out of hand. We can’t just continue to sit back and watch all of these beautiful hanging baskets die off. Especially when you consider how much they cost.”
Indeed, the Stone’s paid over $100 for their hanging baskets and many other residents did the same. “We actually paid almost $200 for ours,” said Stapleton resident Jennifer Dilingham, who lost her two hanging baskets a week ago. “It was really, really sad. And not just for us. It was extremely hard on the kids who got used to helping us water them every day. Sure, we’ve lost other hanging baskets, but never this soon, and there was something special about these hanging baskets. They were just so full of life when we got them.”
The July heat, spring winds, and hail have been the major contributors to all of the deaths. “Every year residents have to fight through this (hanging baskets dying),” said flower and garden expert Kelly Fecht. “But, this year has been exceptionally hard. So many…(choking up) dying young.” Many families must unceremoniously throw the baskets in the trash, but for others, that proves much too difficult. “We have a ceremony in the back yard,” said Andrew Seery who lost a hanging basket just 12 days ago. “Everyone talks about what they loved about the hanging basket, and what they will miss most about it. Then, we burry it in the backyard with an appropriate marking.”
Despite the futility in trying to keep a hanging basket alive, residents will continue to purchase them every year. “I just love them so much,” says Stone. “We let go of the old, and bring new ones in to breathe new life into our family. Even if is just for a few months, the happiness we get is well worth it. Plus, we always feel there will be that special year when we will keep one alive for six months.” The MCA has mentioned they are not willing to give away any secrets as to how they keep theirs alive and beautiful for so long. “We are not really at liberty to talk about it,” said MCA President Liza Kampstra. “But, I assure you, they are real.”
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