J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom

"J Schwanke's Life in Bloom" is brought to you by the following... That flower feeling.

At home.

At work.

Or anytime.

CalFlowers is a proud sponsor of "J Schwanke's Life in Bloom," where flowers and wellness go hand in hand.

We have fresh in all our stores, from soups and steaks and all things flour to all things flowering.

Custom fresh arrangements designed by our in-store florists at Albertsons Companies.

With additional support from the following... Dollar Tree.

Today's "Life in Bloom" is all about the very popular hydrangea.

We'll visit a flower farm that grows hydrangea, arrange with garden hydrangea, as well as create simple and elaborate bouquets.

There's even a hydrangea cocktail.

Cheers!

I'm J Schwanke.

Welcome to "Life in Bloom."

These days, hydrangeas for landscapes are available in many shapes and sizes and bring much enjoyment as long as you devote a bit of attention to their placement and care.

You can choose plants to your liking based not only on appearance but also on a level of maintenance.

A local garden center is a great resource to help guide you with advice based on your location.

It's a pleasure to watch the plants grow and bloom.

And I'm happy to make use of the flowers when in season in the garden.

When hydrangea are out of season where I live, I still enjoy hydrangea varieties from various flower sellers.

Today, we'll create a hand-tied bouquet using hydrangeas and other flowers.

We'll put that hand bouquet in this short vase.

Sometimes, a short vase can be a struggle, because the big flowers might flop out of the vase when their stem is too short.

But we'll bind our stems together so that they hold together and fit into this vase nicely.

We'll fill our vase with water that has flower food added to it.

And we'll use our hydrangea as a base.

We're actually going to use it as an armature.

That means a structure that will hold our other flowers in place.

We'll take our flowers and gently place them through the hydrangea blossom, pulling them down into place and holding the stems together on the back side.

We can do this with just about any type of flower.

We've got carnations.

Notice how the carnations can pull down and tuck right into the hydrangea blossom.

We'll add Gerbera blossoms on the other side.

The hydrangea helps hold those into place.

We can keep some of the stems longer and some of the stems shorter.

So it looks like a little gathering of all sorts of different flowers.

Now we'll bind those stems together.

I'm using a craft-covered wire.

You could also use a pipe cleaner or even a piece of ribbon.

We'll cut off a length.

And I take about 6 inches and put it under my thumb so that it's coming down towards the bottom of the stems.

We'll remove any extra leaves that might be in the way of the binding...and wrap our wire around the stems.

Now, notice I'm not going in one spot, but I'm making a wide binding.

The reason for this is so that the stems won't splay out and fall out of the vase.

Will keep them all bound together.

We'll twist that off and cut off the excess.

Now, measuring is an important key, because we want to make sure that our flowers set on top of the vase and that our stems don't push the flowers out of the vase.

So holding it up, we can measure just about the right spot to cut our stems.

It's always better to cut too long than too short.

Dropping our bouquet down inside the vase.

It's a fun way to create a gathered bouquet using the hydrangea for support for the other flowers.

I was happy to visit my friend Al Mitchell.

He's an expert when it comes to propagating flowers of all kinds -- roses, hydrangeas, and lots of other beautiful flowers.

Al is best known for the roses and spray roses he grows in Watsonville, California.

Before we see the hydrangeas, I had the chance to learn more about how they hand-craft and propagate their rose plants.

There's always an opportunity to learn more about flowers.

So, is this where you do your propagating, then?

Yeah, this is our propagation house.

What they're doing is, they're getting the root stock over here... Uh-huh.

...they'll cut a piece of that, cut a piece of the -- I think that's Pink Tango is what they're making.

Cut a piece of that on a 45-degree angle, they'll match the two, and they put a little clothespin-like thing on it to hold it together, dip it in a rooting compound, and then they put it in this other building over here right behind us here.

Now we're off to the hydrangea houses, where there's thousands of hydrangeas bursting into bloom.

These hydrangea plants are overwhelmingly beautiful.

So, Al, this is your hydrangea production.

Yes, it is.

We've had this set up here for about two years now.

Those are huge!

They get large size.

They really -- really do well in here.

Get the right acid soil and plenty of shade.

Well, then they grow real well.

So, everyone always wants to know how you get a pink one versus a blue one versus a purple one.

We need to talk to those people, because we're not quite sure.

Actually -- Actually, what we do over here, we have some red varieties that supposedly will turn blue if you can get that acid down low enough.

Okay.

And I think it's both varietal and it's by getting a lot of acid in the soil.

You want the pH down around 5 or so.

It's just amazing.

It's beautiful.

Yeah.

So, there's a couple of rocking chairs out here for us.

Oh, yeah.

Well, geez, that's... This looks like a good spot for us to just sit and visit for a while.

Well, I think so.

Yeah.

Can get some tea or a beer or something.

Something.

And, you know, nothing better than being on a flower farm.

I couldn't resist taking time to create an arrangement with the beautiful flowers and foliage they grow at Pajarosa.

Of course, there's double pink hydrangea.

And velvety dusty miller foliage.

Hot pink Gerbera daisies.

Gorgeous Cafe Au Lait dahlias.

And one of my favorite roses, Yves Piaget, named for the famous Swiss clockmaker who crafts the trophy for the best rose in the Geneva Rose Competition.

And arrangement like this leaves me tickled pink.

I love to decorate with hydrangeas.

And here's a few key tips for successfully decorating with hydrangea blooms.

Hydrangea need plenty of water to remain hydrated and fresh.

I use soaked flower-foam bars wrapping in plastic to give my hydrangeas a great water supply.

Cutting the stems at a 45-degree angle allows you to pierce the stem easily through the plastic and into the soaked flower foam.

I attached these flower-foam bars to the deck railing and arbor with cable ties.

The big blooms definitely make a statement, and it takes fewer flowers to make a big impression.

I place the hydrangea first and then fill in between using variegated pittosporum, robellini palms, and even stems of hydrangea foliage.

Because our hydrangeas will be in direct sunlight, I use an anti-transpirant to prevent the flowers from wilting.

An anti-transpirant seals the hydrangea blooms and helps prevent them from evaporating water too quickly.

It helps keep them hydrated.

Be sure to coat them completely.

I suggest several coats.

These simple steps will help you transform any outdoor space, like a porch or deck, into a flower-filled garden party.

So, Trina, thank you so much for being here.

I appreciate that.

Well, it's my pleasure.

So, you are originally from Grand Rapids, 'cause you and Kelly went to zoo school together.

That's right, we did.

Yeah, yeah.

So, now where do you live?

I live in Northern California.

Okay.

What's different in your garden there as it is to here?

Well, there are really too many differences.

One is, we have sunshine all year 'round.

Right?

Yes, we get to have things that bloom all year 'round.

Okay.

But, on the flip side, there's not much water.

Right.

So we can only plant certain things that resist the drought.

One of the things that I think is probably the easiest thing for people to do is a bubble bowl.

Because we can take one leaf...

It's, like, a little hosta.

And so -- I love my hostas.

We got lots of hostas.

And I love them for arranging.

What I'm gonna do is, I'm just gonna cut him off.

Right at the top.

At an angle.

I'm even gonna leave those couple of leaves on there.

Oh, this is great.

My mom has hostas, too, and we never thought of putting that on the bottom.

Right.

So, now, you got one -- you got -- That's pretty easy, right?

So if people are intimidated, it's like, "Okay.

This is the easy one."

So, with this one, I'm gonna use a little bit of crocosmia.

'Cause I have crocosmia in the garden right now.

And I love this flower.

Isn't it pretty?

Oh, wow.

I love -- I love the stems, and I love the foliage, how the foliage comes up like this.

I'm gonna trim out -- 'Cause those guys are a little bit long.

So I'm gonna trim those.

And then, I'm gonna put them down here.

Oh.

So I'm gonna grab... some of my hydrangeas.

And I'm just gonna add them around the base.

Gonna peal off that foliage.

It's gonna fall below the waterline.

Okay.

So I got one more.

I'm gonna stick him in there.

This is one of my favorite little tools.

It's called Bind Wire.

And so it's a wire that has craft paper over the top of it.

And so, the craft paper helps it from cutting into the flowers.

And then we're just gonna tie that off, just to secure it.

[ Gasps ] Look at that.

How about that, right?

Yes, it's a surprise.

It's a nice surprise.

[ Both laugh ] Are you ready?

I am ready.

Okay!

Awes-- I love that you're ready.

You know what?

I'm just gonna pull it up here.

Because I picked this one.

I have hosta leaves, I have fresh mint, I have scented geranium, I have burning bush.

So, can we start with the geranium?

Yeah.

Okay.

You can do whatever you want.

You're my guest.

And there's no wrong way, right?

It's true.

You know what?

I think that that's -- One of the things that I tell people so often is that, flower arranging, the first person you need to please is you -- not me, not anyone else, but you.

And if you're pleased with what you make, then that should make it easier, right?

Okay.

Let's go.

All right.

It's at a 45 already.

Awesome.

Yeah, see?

You don't have anybody under the waterline.

So that's good.

Okay.

One more of these.

All right.

I love it.

It's -- This is the true citronella.

Has the citronella fragrance.

And I love them.

You know, and people talk about them.

They won't really keep the -- the mosquitos away just by being in your garden, but by rubbing them...on yourself, then you get the oil on yourself, and that's the repellant part of it.

So that's kind of fun.

Great.

Gonna start.. tucking these in.

Great.

Oh, see, I love it.

We want to keep those in the middle.

So, Trina, tell everybody what you do.

I am a decision consultant.

I help companies make decisions, and I teach courses in strategic decision-making.

So I'm just thinking outside the box.

Do you think flower arranging helps people make decisions?

Yes, I actually think it could.

Okay.

Because I think what flowers make you do is stop and enjoy the moment.

Ah.

And sometimes, we get a lot of things in our head -- worries, concerns, challenges... Right.

...opportunities, and there's just too much going on.

I like your thought about "Take your time.

Slow down."

Does that help you make a decision?

I'm horrible about decisions, just so that we know that.

Yes, it does.

Well, if you're really horrible, there's something very easy.

Okay.

You need to remember HALT.

Don't make a decision when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

And maybe arrange some flowers.

And these help.

Help.

It's true.

It's true.

Okay.

You did a great job.

Thank you.

Good job.

So, I have a question for you.

Have you had enough fun?

Do you want to come back and make a hydrangea cocktail with me?

I would love to.

All right.

We will make a hydrangea cocktail.

So, come back and help me with that.

Okay.

Thanks.

PeeGee hydrangeas, formally known as hydrangea paniculata, is a vigorous shrub or small tree.

It can grow up to 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide.

PeeGee hydrangea plants bear clusters of white flowers in the summer.

Blooms fade to shades of rose or green before turning beige in the winter.

PeeGee hydrangea plants need well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.

The weight of the flowers may cause the stem to arch downward.

PeeGee hydrangeas provide showy late-summer blooms when few others are in flower.

Blooms can be dried and may last up to a year.

PeeGee hydrangea plants are one of the most cold-hardy species of hydrangea.

So, Trina, this is a cocktail called the hydrangea cocktail.

And I guess there is this, like, competition in Cape Cod, where all the hydrangeas grow and everybody has all sorts of different drinks, but this one is actually called the hydrangea cocktail.

So, what we have here is, we are going to use, first, some mint leaves.

And we are gonna put those in there.

Then, got some cranberries, okay?

And I guess, you know, that's why it's Cape Cod, right?

Right.

You know, you got the cranberries.

So, did you freeze them?

So, right now, I don't have -- I don't have fresh cranberries.

I had to go with frozen ones.

But they were organic ones from the store that were frozen.

So, we've muddled in our mint leaves and our cranberries.

We're gonna go with a cranberry vodka.

Mmm.

How about that?

And it's an ounce and a half per drink.

Then, we have our aperitivo, the "rababa rava."

No, the rabarbaro.

Okay?

Rabarbaro.

Then, we have some fresh lime juice.

And I squeezed this this morning for us, because I love fresh-squeezed lime juice.

My favorite.

And a little bit of orange bitters.

Okay.

[ Rattling ] There's nothing really better than having, you know, cocktails in the garden, right?

[ Both laugh ] It's a beautiful color.

Isn't it pretty?

Now, it says you can garnish it with a bit of mint.

But I think, if it's a hydrangea cocktail, should we not garnish it with a hydrangea?

So, I have a little tradition here at "Life in Bloom."

So, since you came to play hydrangeas with me today, I made you a hydrangea flower crown.

Right?

Look at how cute it is!

I thought it was very pretty.

It's wonderful.

So, can I put it on you?

Yes, absolutely.

Let's see how I did, as far as size-wise.

Oh, it looks good.

All right.

So, cheers.

Thank you for joining me.

Cheers.

Thank you.

Hooray for hydrangeas.

We're gonna use some antique hydrangeas, some majolica spray roses, and some marzipan and shimmer roses to create this project.

We have an 8-inch soaked sphere and a manzanita branch that we've attached to the top.

The manzanita branch was attached by placing a chenille stem or a pipe-cleaner hook over the top and pushing it down into the foam.

That's gonna keep it in place at the angle that we want.

Our foliage is one of my favorites -- monstera.

I'm using two leaves close together and one leaf on the opposite side.

Those need to go in first so that all my other flowers will surround them.

Then I'll fill in with my hydrangeas.

These antique hydrangeas are beautiful, and they have all the tints, tones, and colors of the roses that I'm gonna use.

I'll place those sporadically throughout the bouquet.

I'm going to create channels of roses across the sphere.

We'll start by making a line of the shimmer roses, and then I'll make another line with the marzipan.

I'll continue to add those roses in the same channel effect to fill in the holes between the hydrangeas.

Then I'll add the sprays of the pink majolica roses.

I love the texture of these pink marzipan roses.

The contrast between the texture of the roses and the hydrangeas is really interesting.

That's a really impressive arrangement.

But think about how little content we actually used.

Three pieces of foliage, five hydrangeas, a dozen marzipan, and a dozen shimmer roses.

And a bunch of pink majolica spray roses.

Designed well, these flowers are beautiful and impressive.

I love the effect that it has.

And short flowers are gonna last longer.

It's a great way for us to use a few flowers to create a very impressive centerpiece.

I hope this episode has you saying, "Hooray for hydrangeas!"

Whether you purchased individual flowers or a harvest from the garden, I encourage you to enjoy these oversized blooms.

Even just one hydrangea bloom in a vase is sure to bring a smile.

For "Life in Bloom," I'm J Schwanke.

I'm getting a little low.

That's okay.

I can grab you some more.

Do you want a couple more?

Yeah, do you have poofy one?

Okay, a poof-- Sorry.

A poofy one.

I will be right back.

[ Laughs ] That's a technical term.

A poofy one.

I got some.

Excellent.

Look, see?

I went, "So..." Well, I mean, so you ask for one, you get three.

[ Both laugh ] That's -- I can't make a decision.

[ Both laugh ] I think I need another, don't I?

Okay.

I have a-- Well, I have another, bigger one.

This one is more poofy.

I love poofy.

That's a good term.

I will use it.

[ Laughs ] "J Schwanke's Life in Bloom" is filmed in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Visit J's website, ubloom.com, for flower projects and crafts, complete recipes, behind-the-scenes videos, J's blog, flower cocktails, and more.

"J Schwanke's Life in Bloom" is brought to you by the following... That flower feeling.

At home.

At work.

Or anytime.

CalFlowers is a proud sponsor of "J Schwanke's Life in Bloom," where flowers and wellness go hand in hand.

We have fresh in all our stores, from soups and steaks and all things flour to all things flowering.

Custom fresh arrangements designed by our in-store florists at Albertsons Companies.

With additional support from the following... Dollar Tree.

Closed-caption funding provided by Holland America Flowers.