J Schwanke's Life In Bloom

Innovation in the world of Flowers is showcased. Included: technology in the garden involving production and plants, unique hybridized color creation in flowers and innovations in packaging and transportation. J uses new varieties of flowers in his flower arrangements, and visits an incredible garden showcase to interview a garden expert.

J shows ways to escape into the flower world without racking up thousands of miles. Visit a Japanese garden and sculpture park and become a flower tourist in J’s home town. Travel to the exotic world of Tiki where J creates an outstanding tropical flower arrangement and visits with friend Anthony Carpenter; a local artist who shares his passion for escape with his original art.

J takes us on a savory swing through the herb garden- and shows us how to create and plant our own tower of herbs for the patio, front porch, or cutting garden. Visit a Michigan herb and flower farm and meet the farmers, where J creates a bouquet of herbs, and a u-pick Flower arrangement. A special herbal ingredient accents flower cocktail hour.

J shares his favorite tips for drying fresh flowers. Learn how to create bouquets, crafts and projects with dried and preserved flowers. Guest Kim Carson joins J for a lesson in dried and preserved hydrangeas, including techniques for creating a bouquet, a garland and a wreath. J teaches Kim how to create a cocktail featuring Lavender Bitters.

Today on Life in Bloom we’re learning about flower meanings. J shows the Victorian method of sending a secret message through flowers. See how flower color can influence our moods, and discover the meaning behind colors of roses. J helps us turn our feelings into flowers and welcomes his flower friend Jennifer Pascua joins J to create flower popsicles.

Dive into the blue – blue Flowers that is. Host J Schwanke creates a large-scale arrangement themed to the clouds in the skies and welcomes his flower friend, meteorologist Aaron. Blue is the rarest of all flower colors, and J showcases both natural and dyed blue flowers for your review. Included: a tiny arrangement with early squill flowers; J and Aaron enjoy a unique blue sweet pea cocktail.

Discover Flower inspiration in French themes. J visits with flower friend and Frenchman Jean Yves to learn more about Flower lifestyle in France, and enjoy a flower cocktail of French origin! Included: a scent-sational Versailles topiary; homemade potpourri; flowers in pavé and etegeré formations.

Life in Bloom showcases collecting all things Flower! J shares favorite collections including varieties of living trees and hosta plants in the garden, and artwork featuring flowers in various forms. Unique wall pockets and tiny vases – both of which hold flowers and memories. J shares a favorite recipe – and shows off a collection of swizzle sticks with flower accents.

The Calla Lily is the featured flower in this episode. J shares flower lore behind this classic flower. We’ll see Callas of all colors – including black. J creates a unique crescent shaped Calla bouquet to carry, shows you how to arrange Calla Lily blooms inside a bubble bowl, and fabricates a composite calla bouquet. Also: a Calla Lily cocktail.

J’s “pushing petals” – literally and figuratively on Life in Bloom. You’ll learn the importance of petal counts for roses, and the importance of retaining the “gard petal”. Together we’ll craft with petals, and create a “Duchess rose.” J assembles an artistic creation that can become an invitation or post card, creates a petal perfect mocktail, and even include petals in an hors d’oeuvre spread.

It’s bouquet day on Life In Bloom. J gathers all sorts of flowers together into bouquets and shares the origins of the bouquet holder and antique wire flower frogs, Learn the stories behind Victorian bouquets, nosegays, and even the tussie mussie, J shares easy ways to create simple bouquets. Included: a bouquet as a bundt cake decoration.

Flower host J Schwanke learns about foraging for plants and herbs from expert and author Lisa M. Rose. J adjourns to the garden to create a small-scale foraged flower arrangement. J and Lisa mix up a recipe with acorns and enjoy a cocktail with foraged ingredients. Included: a foraged table scape; flowers crafted from pine cones; a “mossarium”.

Flowers have a way of intertwining with memories today on Life in Bloom. J shares a long-lost visit with his grandpa, Carnation Joe, then arranges a red Carnation tribute. J participates in a local Memorial Day Flower celebration, discusses flower memories with “Moms” – Lorraine and Mary Lou, and remembers special Flower friends who’ve gone before us. Also: a “Happy Clouds” cocktail.

In this special edition of Life in Bloom, J shows you ways to enjoy flowers for the Christmas holidays. J gives us a tour of his holiday decorations- show us how to decorate a mini boxwood tree, and create a triple berry centerpiece complete with floating cranberries. Learn to wrap presents the “J-way”, and a bouquet made with a few of J’s favorite things.