>> "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.

♪ ♪ >> Flowers have a way of intertwining with memories in this episode of "Life in Bloom."

We'll visit with my grandpa, "Carnation Joe," discuss first memories of flowers, memorialize those who have gone before us, and even enjoy some happy clouds.

♪ ♪ I'm J Schwanke.

Welcome to "Life in Bloom."

♪ One of my favorite hobbies is engaging in conversation about memories.

It may be a stranger I met while traveling or on an airplane, or asking about the history behind an object.

Or even better, wondering what someone's first memory of flowers may be.

It leads to sharing.

And for me, it's led to some incredible discoveries and lifelong treasured friendships.

Not to mention commonalities, passions, or shared adventures.

For me, flowers are memory-makers, creators, and conservators.

Let's take an opportunity today to make, share, and invest in some beautiful flower memories.

♪ Recently, I was contacted by a hometown friend, Richard Rader.

Richard is a professional photographer in Fremont, Nebraska, and he recently unearthed a vintage interview featuring my grandfather, Carnation Joe Green, giving an interview in our family greenhouses.

The greenhouses of my grandfather are long gone.

But just as flowers provide a powerful ability to recall memories, this video does the same.

I can smell the damp, earthy fragrance of the greenhouse.

It's a smell you never forget.

And somehow I'm transported back to that very day.

And through this little magical piece of footage, I can share a minute or two with Carnation Joe and his stories.

I hope you enjoy it every bit as much as I do.

>> We also had the opportunity to speak with Joe Green, the original Carnation Joe.

Roslyn Winstead visited Joe at Green's Greenhouse.

>> Tell me about Carnation Joe.

>> Well, when I was going to school and high school, I just got the silly idea that a man who was a florist should wear a flower.

In 1925, I decided it wasn't enough just to wear a carnation in the daytime.

I met a blue-eyed blonde Swede by the name of Lily Olsen.

You know, I married her.

And for 60 -- let's see, 57 years, I was the only florist in the world who wore a carnation all day and slept with my Lily at night.

>> [ Chuckles ] >> That made me a florist 24 hours a day, see?

>> How did you come to wear your carnation every day, Joe?

>> Well, I just decided it was -- it was a thing to do, and that a florist should wear a flower.

And I wore a flower every day for -- since 1917.

>> Have you seen any recent changes in the last 10 to 15 years in your business?

>> Well, just to give you an example, when I was first...

I remember my dad, one time, he got a carnation that was bigger than a silver dollar.

And if you take a notice of this carnation, it'd take two silver dollars to go across that carnation.

And that's just a sample of the way things have -- have been manipulated by cross-pollinization and so forth and taking the scientific approach to -- to new stuff.

>> Now, I understand that you did deliver flowers in the horse and buggy.

>> Yes.

Yes, I...

I remember well, one Christmas Eve, when I delivered flowers to my wife's folks.

That was long before I ever knew who she was.

But, uh, one -- when I -- after I delivered the flowers there, it was after dark.

And, no, that was one of the nice things.

I went out and I laid down on the seat of the wagon.

And when I woke up, the night firemen come out and helped me get the hot box out of the -- out of the wagon and put it in the greenhouse.

In those days, we had no -- we had a big box about 3 foot square by about 5 feet long that was insulated with 37 layers of newspaper.

And that -- And we had a -- we had bricks.

We had paving bricks we put on the back end of the boiler.

And before we started out, we put one of them in the box to keep the box warm.

So, when I come out from that last delivery, I just crawled in that box nice and warm, went to sleep.

When the horse stopped, we were home.

♪ ♪ >> So after that little trip down memory lane, I'm compelled to arrange a few red carnations in fond memory of Grandpa Joe.

♪ We're creating this arrangement in soaked flower foam.

I've placed it down inside the container.

You'll notice that there's plenty of room for water all the way around.

Carnations last a long time, and they need plenty of water.

I'll start by adding all my foliage first.

We're using monstera leaves and foxtail fern, coontie, We have some African iris grass.

I love variegated aspidistra, because I can loop them around and place them down into the center of the bouquet.

♪ Now it's time for our carnations.

I've got 25 stems in this bunch.

That'll make a beautiful arrangement.

I think about the way that my grandfather used to arrange carnations and always gave them plenty of space in between.

♪ I've got one little hole here in the center, and I've saved something special for that.

Of course, it's a lily blossom.

carnation Joe and his Lily, together again.

Thanks for the memories, Richard Rader.

You're a great friend.

♪ Gardenia is a genius of flowering plants and the coffee family native, to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar, the Pacific Islands and Australia.

Gardenias are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing 3 to 49 feet tall.

Flowering is from about mid-spring to mid-summer, and many species are strongly scented.

The species Gardenia jasminoides is cultivated as a houseplant.

This species can be difficult to grow because it originated in warm, humid, tropical areas and demands high humidity to thrive, and bright, not-direct light.

Hattie McDaniel famously wore gardenias in her hair when she accepted an Academy Award, the first for an African-American, for "Gone with the Wind."

Mo'Nique Hicks later wore gardenias in her hair, when she won her Oscar, as a tribute to McDaniel.

♪ Here's my "Bloom 365" tip, helping you enjoy flowers every day of the year.

Rosemary has a profound effect on memory.

Rubbing the stems and smelling the oil aids in memory retention.

♪ Flowers are a perfect way to honor and remember those who have served our country.

Recently, I participated in an event with Memorial Day Flowers Foundation, Bank of America, and local volunteers to place a flower on over 5,100 graves in the Michigan Veterans Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I was enthralled with this local, heartfelt collaboration.

They brought flowers from around the country and around the world to this historic veterans' cemetery and brought together family and friends and dedicated volunteers to honor and commemorate the service of the soldiers laid to rest here in Michigan.

Each flower that is placed to the grave is an emotional symbol of respect and remembrance for those who have defended our country at great cost and their families.

Thank you all so much for being here.

I appreciate it.

What you're going to have is you're going to have a bag that has "Memorial Day Flowers Foundation."

Those are in front of you right there.

You'll just grab one.

You'll take it with you.

You're going to take out each individual flower.

And what you're going to do is, when you come to the grave, you're going to read the inscription on the grave, thank them for their service, and then we'll place the flower.

If you can check the flags.

The flags were placed on Wednesday.

So if you can straighten the flag, if it's crooked, that would be amazing, as well.

Can you provide a bit of history about how this place came to be?

>> The cemetery itself was first opened in 1886 -- May 31, 1886.

And it was originally established in the form of a Maltese cross around what is now a Civil War monument in the center of that.

That monument came to us in 1894, but we had burials here before that time.

Since that original plot layout of about a thousand graves, the cemetery has expanded, and we have about 5,150 burial sites right now in our cemetery.

>> This is a memorial event, and it's serious and it's heart-touching.

But everyone has such a good time.

They feel so good about it.

And I think that that's -- that's just a wonderful thing that you do.

>> Thank you.

Thank you.

And we've had this discussion with our executive director, Ramiro.

He had issues with people saying, "Happy Memorial Day."

And we'd be done with the event at Arlington, and everybody was happy.

He's like, "Why is it -- Why is -- Why are people happy?!"

I said, "They're happy because we did something that's not easy.

We did it well.

And volunteers did something that was heartwarming to them, and we helped that happen.

So you can be happy."

>> Correct.

It's that people have said to me, "This is the best way to start a Memorial Day weekend."

>> That's wonderful.

That's incredible.

>> That's incredible, right?

>> Yeah.

>> Right.

>> It's just such a privilege to be here at a small local cemetery with the people who know the people who were here.

These people matter to them.

>> Yeah.

♪ >> John Edward Archer.

♪ ♪ >> Thank you for telling me the stories about him.

I appreciate that very much.

And thank you for his service and for your family's service.

>> Thank you.

♪ ♪ >> These are people who, if they didn't give their lives, they were willing to give their life.

And that's something that is -- it's important to thank.

♪ ♪ For many years, I gave presentations to one of the longest-standing Beta Sigma Phi sororities in the country.

It also so happened that this particular group included my mother-in-law, Mary Lou Blank, and her best friend, Lorraine Schultz.

This was a group of Michigan ladies that had known one another for over 50 years, and they are very close-knit, wonderful friends.

And it's a true pleasure to be around them.

It was a delight of mine to get together with them and create flowers for them to take home.

Flower memories are important.

And for me, very interesting and valuable.

So I thought it would be fun to ask these ladies about their first memories of flowers and learn a little bit more about how flowers affected them and the role it played in their lives.

This is one of the longest-standing Beta Sigma Phi sororities in the country.

So you all have known each other for how many years?

>> 62.

>> A long time.

>> I think it's 62.

>> Well close to 60 years, Lorraine and I, and I've known some of the other members that long, too.

♪ >> The sorority sends flowers occasionally.

You guys send flowers to your members.

Why do you do that?

>> Well, it's the yellow rose.

It's a tradition in the sorority, and it's -- the yellow rose is friendship.

And that's what this sorority, as far as I'm concerned, is based on.

>> Why are friendships important?

>> Well, I had very small family.

I was an only child, so I had no family to speak of.

My parents died when I was fairly young.

So the sorority is my family.

The whole group is my -- I figure they're my family.

>> So, why are friendships important to you, Lorraine?

>> Because I'm like Mary.

I don't have a lot of family.

And these people are sisters.

And we are very, very close.

This relationship that we have with all of the sorority is close.

I don't think there's anyone in sorority that we couldn't go and ask a favor of, and they would gladly do it for us.

♪ >> Tell me about the container you brought today.

>> Well, this was my mother's container, and I can still see it sitting on the dining room table, filled with lilacs in the spring.

And that's my first memory of this basket, actually.

>> You said that she would also fill it with lily of the valley.

>> Lilies of the valley.

Everything came from the garden then, because you couldn't afford to go out and buy flowers during the Depression, usually.

So that's -- That's what I remember about it.

>> So, Lorraine, what's your favorite flower?

>> Rose.

>> How come?

>> I use -- In the past, I've had a lot of rose bushes, but I haven't been lately, for a few years.

Been too busy.

But because they do take some time, but I think I had about 40 bushes at one time, and I love my roses.

Go out every morning and look at them, smell there.

I just love roses.

>> So, what's your favorite flower?

>> Gardenias.

[ Chuckles ] >> How come?

>> Well, when I was a little girl and I'd go downtown, they always had gardenias on Saturdays, and they were 39 cents.

And I always bought one and put it in a little round bowl.

And I would enjoy it all week.

And I don't know why.

It's just something I always loved.

♪ >> So, why are flowers important?

>> Flowers are a joy to anyone who ever receives them.

I send flowers personally.

I like to send flowers to people.

>> Why do you think flowers are so important to people?

>> Oh, I think they make you feel so wonderful when you get a bouquet.

And just looking at them, it just makes you feel good inside, I think.

♪ >> Today's flower cocktail hour is a deconstructed negroni that focuses on a gin that is colored with butterfly sweet peas.

So, we have a gin that has butterfly sweet peas, has made it blue.

And we have dry vermouth.

The cocktail is called happy clouds.

And it's so named because it was inspired by Bob Ross' "Joy of Painting" that premiered in 1983 and his phrase "happy little clouds."

So I thought it was perfect for us to do that today.

People are sweet.

We've had people mail in and say that they feel I'm the Bob Ross of flowers, which is an amazing compliment to a man who is so iconic and touched so many lives.

So today we'll join Bob for a little flower cocktail hour.

We'll start with a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

Then, we have our butterfly sweet pea-infused gin and our dry vermouth.

Equal parts, an ounce and a half and an ounce and a half.

And we need a few dashes of orange bitters.

Now, the other secret ingredient to our cocktail is cotton candy.

And we've got it on a plate so that can be served with cotton candy on the side.

Or you can take a bite before you take a drink or a bite after you take a drink.

Or you can let it float into the drink.

[ Ice rattling ] ♪ We'll pour it into a coupe glass.

And I'm kind of a cotton-candy-before guy.

♪ Happy clouds.

Cheers to Bob Ross.

♪ ♪ Memories of family and friends are a very important part of my life and bloom.

I've had incredible friends and family that have influenced my flower-arranging skills and others that have inspired me to greater heights.

And then there are those that taught me to live, laugh, and love.

For me, flowers are the finest way to honor and reflect upon a cherished friendship or loved one.

Hydrangeas are the symbol for heartfelt emotion.

Dahlias represent a lasting bond between two people and represent strength, grace, and kindness.

Zinnias are associated with friendship, endurance, goodness, and lasting affection.

The Victorian meaning of zinnias is thoughts of an absent friend.

And sunflowers or black-eyed Susans represent loyalty and adoration.

And we're all familiar with marigolds, a flower that's spiritual.

The fragrance of marigolds is thought to bring spirits back from the afterlife to celebrate here with us.

Let's create a beautiful arrangement and recall my wonderful friends and family that are no longer with us.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ So you see, flowers are a wonderful way to remember our family and friends.

It's the perfect way to celebrate lives in bloom.

Now it's time to share some flower fan mail.

Today, I'm especially excited to share glower crowns shared with me by Tony Flynn and created by his wife, Cabby Flynn, for their twin granddaughters, Maggie and Josie, on the occasion of their fifth birthday.

This is wonderful!

And Tony and Cabby could not resist modeling the crowns, as well.

Flower crowns always make people smile, don't they?

Thank you for sharing your life in bloom with all of us.

You're the best.

Thanks again for sharing, Tony.

I love to see pictures of your flower arrangements and flower crowns, of course.

Send them to J@ubloom.com.

That's the letter J, @, the letter U, bloom dot com.

And watch for more Schwankes on upcoming shows.

Memories are at the ready to be enjoyed, and flowers can spark reminiscing and even enhance the experiences of the past.

Flowers engage the senses and make important occasions all the more special.

Not only in the present, but for enjoyment in the future as well.

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

>> I was asleep in the greenhouse, and I had a cot -- a metal frame cot.

And I had -- on one end, I had the -- the legs were hinged, and I had it so that, a little wiggle of the bed, the legs would would -- would come out from under.

And when the frost bell rung, I'd shake, and -- bing -- the bed would drop down.

My shoes were down there.

I'd slide my feet into my shoes as I come off the bed and go down and throw in a couple more shovels full of coal.

♪ >> "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.

♪ >> Closed-caption funding provided by Holland America Flowers.

♪