Neiman-Marcus Edible Fresh Flowerpot

This sundae spread is from Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cook Book, 1959. To make those banana splits, here's the instructions:
For each serving, slice a banana in half lengthwise and turn cut side up.  Top with large scoop of vanilla ice cream, in center, then a scoop of strawberry ice cream on one side, and mint-chocolate chip on the other.
Top vanilla ice cream with marshmallow sauce and broken wlanuts.  Serve with a line-up of Minted Pineapple Sauce, Chocolate Marble Sauce sugared sliced strawberries and Jiffy Caramel Sauce.  Each guest sauces his own sundae, then tops all with whole walnut halves.

That is a pretty gross combination of flavors - Minted Pineapple? Along with strawberry and mint chocolate chip and marshmallow? Wow.

Next to this is advice on making 'Neiman-Marcus Fresh Flowerpot.' In vintage cookbooks, any reference to Neiman-Marcus is akin to advice from on High. It's name dropping of the highest order. Want to make this oh so chic thing?
This is a specialty of N-M's Zodiac Room - each dessert sprouts real flowers! Line bottoms of real red-clay flowerpots with rounds o sponge cake.  Top with several kinds of ice cream, then high meringue; brown a few minutes in a very hot oven.  Poke two soda straws in each, as channels for flower stems.  Insert flower in each straw.

And then do what? Very odd. Why the meringue? I've seen cupcakes in various ways in flowerpots, but this? Well, if they do it at 'N-M' it must be fabulous, right?

These are cakes from both Easter parties we went to Sunday. The lamb cake is from my Mother's mold. My sister-in-law always makes a fabulous, perfect one. I used to make a version with no head, or at least a separated one. The bunny cake was made by my Mother In Law and my husband's older sister. They made it to celebrate Owen's birthday, which is this Friday. These are both fabulous! They were tasty too. Of course I had to same both!