I love Dogs…. and the "Double Edged Sword" of MY Amazing Wonderful Job… is the Travel! It means that Kelly and I  get to see amazing places and meet wonderful flower people and make Incredible Flower Discoveries that I, ultimately Share on JTV and uBloom.

HOWEVER..It also means that our TWO Life Companions are still at HOME… (albeit with their LIVE IN Pet Sitters… getting Great CARE and Attention… Thanks KATHY and CREW!!!)… and us 2 BIG Hearted Guys… end up MISSING… our Girls,  Lucy and Ellie!

So when we travel… and there are DOGS… WE LOVE IT! We Pet them and play with them… and film them! It’s Amazing How they KNOW that WE LOVE Dogs! The Dogs we see know immediately that Kelly and I are Dog-Guys… and we get Surrogate Dog Time… on the ROAD!

I wanted to share with YOU the Amazing Canines we met along our CA Grown Adventure… They were Happy Flower Loving Dogs and they Made our TRIP Very Special Indeed!

Meet Seymour… Our "NEPHEW" … and Companion to Carol Prezel AIFD, Owner of Carolina and Company in Santa Rosa CA… Seymour is a rescue and WE just Love him… He’s Still a Teenage dog… and allowed us to have a sleep over with him!

Chief (with the Tail) and Niece Sydney belong to Janna and Roland Neetz… In-laws of Chad Nelson, Chairman of the CCFC and Mgr of Eufloria Flowers. We stopped at Janna’s for an Amazing Dinner! A Some romping in the Yard… They herded us up and got us on the road again! (Not Pictured are Audrey and Jake)

Libby the Labrador… From Schubert Nurseries… The Folks at Schubert KNOW how many dog lovers are out there… So they Created this Baby to add to their Already Famous Topiary Line… KUDOS Schubert… We’ll Take a CASE… Please!

Roxie (the Min-Pin) and Jack were the Greeters at Florabundance.  They weren’t sure if we were intruders at first… but as soon as they got a whiff of us… we were welcomed with a few kisses… in between ear scrittchies of course!

Ranger… of Ocean Breeze Fame… brought all sorts of TOYS for us to play with… he’s an Amazing Catch… and he made sure all the Gerberas were floating upright… He also had to take a swim… in the flowers too… He couldn’t let ME have all the FUN! 

L.C., Beau and Bootie… the Boys of the CCFC… These guys are in Charge of the Ambassodor to the Flower Industry… Kasey Cronquist… they Love to Ride in the Truck… and don’t be fooled… BOOTIE… (the Pug) is in Charge!

Zorro… Named after the Original Protea Farm that got "MEL" Resendiz started… ZORRO is JUST as AWESOME as he looks… making sure everything is RIGHT and things are in Order at the Resendiz Flower Farm… 

Lucky Is "Mel" Guard Dog… (He Jokingly told us)… What a Sweetheart… Watch for  Cameo in the CA Grown Experience… This is one Amazing Dog!

So, it begs the Question… In a World of Flowers, J… Why the BLOG about Dogs????  We’ll Here’s your answer!!!

Our DOG LOVING Friend Barbara Schnur is just about the ONLY Person we have met that LOVES Dogs More than us… and she SHOWS it… by Volunteering 1000’s of hours to all kinds of Different Organizations… WE KNEW Barbara would LOVE this BLOG… and we wanted to share… SO Barbara… This Blogs for YOU… Thanks For ALL YOU Do and all the LIVES you saved and Make Better for our Beloved Canine friends… YOU ARE ONE AMAZING LADY!!!!

 The POSTER from Sun Valley Group In OXNARD (At the TOP of this Blog) Asks the Question: Who’s AWESOME???… The Dogs of The CA Grown Experience… You’re AWESOME!!!! Thanks for Making our TRIP DOG-GONE TERRIFIC!

PS… Don’t worry ZORRO… we’re Coming Back!!!

What an amazing FLOWER Filled TWO Weeks… Touring the Flower Farms of California and meeting Flower Farmers, Flower Sellers, Flower Buyers throughout the State of California.

I’m So Excited to be bringing the Flower Documentary to YOU via JTV on uBloom. This experience gave me a whole new appreciation for where our Flowers come from and the Passion with which they are grown!

I want to take this opportunity to Thank Kasey Cronquist and the Members of the California Cut Flower Commission  for helping us coordinating this Amazing Flower Expose’ on CA Grown Flowers!

Being a 4th Generation Florist, I’ve been in the Flower Industry my entire life… I grew up running through the Greenhouses of my Family Business, I’ve been surrounded by Flowers… my entire life… Everyday! I never expected this experience to be so Emotional! Every person we met from Owner, Grower, Planter, Harvester, or Driver was filled with a Passion for Flowers!

Taking my JTV Film Crew on the Road to experience and film the Flowers Farms and Farmers of California was the experience of a Lifetime…and it’s only JUST Beginning… Now my guys are hard at work in the editing room shaping and perfecting 16 JTV Webisode Documentaries FOR YOU, our uBloomers!!!

Ironically, the  Crew has watched me design with Flowers for over 4 years on JTV (that’s over 200 weeks) ….and they told me:  "We never really thought about where the Flowers come from"! There in lies the REASON Why; we chose to seize this opportunity to Share the inner workings of the  Flower Farms of California!

Every ONE of us FLOWER LOVERS…  are SO Very Fortunate to be surrounded by Flowers in our Lives!  The Flower Business is so Vast and so Diverse…and we’ll share that with you in the coming weeks, here on uBloom! 

I KNOW that I am the Luckiest Guy in the World… and it’s all because of the Flowers! I’m So Happy I can share this Once in a Lifetime Experience with you via the Internet and your Viewer Screen on uBloom! It’s like you get to go on the trip with me…

The CA Grown Experience Begins on Monday September 13, 2010. Airing TWO New Webisodes each week! Get Ready for The CA Grown Experience on uBloom! Stay tuned for More details an our OFFICIAL CA Grown Experience Schedule!

Our JTV/uBloom Leatherleaf Design Contest sponsored by FernTrust was absolutely FERN-TASTIC!  After seeing the host of incredible Leatherleaf inspired project entries, I was SO AMAZED at all the Creative and Unique ways uBloomers used Leatherleaf in their designs!  Who knew Leatherleaf was so versatile?  I hope you were as inspired as I was at the projects entered in our contest.  In fact, INSPIRATION is just one of the reasons we have floral design contests here on uBloom!  It gets those creative juices flowing! 

Now through Friday, September 10th at midnight, voting for the People’s Choice Award is taking place.  Every uBloom Member has a chance to have their say by getting the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award winner.  Click HERE to view and vote!  Remember, only ONE vote per member.   Our People’s Choice winner will receive a Special Surprise Package from JTV!

Now, here are our TOP 10 Finalists in the JTV/uBloom Leatherleaf Contest…

1. Jim Gregg, Sublime Leatherleaf

2. Tanti Lina, Christmas in July

3. Viki Anthony, Montana Goonie Bird

4. Linda Pawlik , Windy Day at the Beach

5. BJ Pitts, Hunter’s Hunk of Cake

6. Makayla Newberry, Southern Hospitality

7. BJ Pitts,  Gentle Greens

8. BJ Pitts, Cornacopia

9. Jim Gregg, Urn of Fern

10. Solly Payne, Princess Carriage  

Honorable Mention goes to Makayla Newberry’s Football Fever

Each of our TOP 10 Finalists will be competing for our Grand Prize…A 12 Month Treasure Trove from FernTrust!  The illustrious panel of judges who will be choosing the Grand Prize Winning Design are…THE Flower Expert, J Schwanke AIFD, PFCI,  David Register, Vice-President of FernTrust, and Janna Neetz, a freelance marketing consultant who is on the marketing committee for WFFSA. 

Who will take home the Prize for People’s Choice?  Which uBloomer will be receiving the 12 Month Treasure Trove from FernTrust? Stay tuned to uBloom to find out!

Don’t miss out on all the HOTTEST flower discussions going on right now in the uBloom Forums!  Get great information, tips and ideas…or share some of your own!  Need some advice from a floral pro?  This is the place you want to be!  Are you looking for a job, or would you like to post a listing for one?  Then head to our Flower Business Opportunities forum area and take a look around!  There is never a dull moment…so what are you waiting for?  Jump on in!

Are your Dendros Droopy?   Here are some sure fire ways to perk up these little beauties!

Share some of your tips for keeping a composite flower bouquet made of Longiflorum Lily petals fresh. 

What are the mechanics for creating a very Large Flower Sphere?  

Check out these ideas for Holding Roses Underwater without any observable mechanics.  Great for a very clean, modern look.

PRO FORUMS

Have you ever received an invitation to be on a TV Reality Show?   How do you tell if it’s legit or a scam?  See which uBloomer was recently asked to participate in a new wedding themed reality show for TLC.

How to process Carnations

Important Fire Safety advice - this thread is excellent for all those living in hot, dry, fire prone areas or have venues that do not allow open flame candles.

REAL FLORIST PHOTO:  The fabulous florists of H. Watts Floral Design in Plymouth, Devon, UK

If you would like to see YOUR Floral Business featured on HOT Topic Tuesday…just send me a photo of you and your staff…doing what you do best, making people smile with flowers!   The photo can be taken inside or outside of your shop…and feel free to be fun and creative with it!  Please send your photo to me, Lisa at lisaluck71@yahoo.com or thecommunitygardener@ubloom.com…you just might be the next REAL FLORIST featured in HOT Topic Tuesday!   Please be sure the photo’s file size isn’t too large - very large photos won’t upload properly in the blog editor.   

What would LIFE be without Friends! This week on JTV we premiere our Cancer Awareness Webisode. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month… and My Dear Friend Kim Carson Stopped by the JTV Studio to learn how to arrange flowers and help me promote Cancer Awareness.

I realize that nearly every one of us has been touched in some way by this terrible disease. I’ve gotten so many emails already this morning from uBloomers sharing their stories and thanking us for helping create awareness in the Flower World!

I lost my Grandma Schwanke to Breast Cancer… and my Mother "Joey"  is a 25+ Year Breast Cancer Survivor. Kim herself is a Colon Cancer Survivor… (which is why she insisted I got tested Last Month… SHE Inspired me… and I got a Negative Screening!) We all have personal stories and that’s what this week’s JTV Webisode is about!

You can Create your Very Own Cancer Awareness Campaign and raise Money to benefit your local community, local fund drives, and local programs. Every community has their own story, their own survivors, their own Quests! You can get creative with the great products we featured this week on JTV… to create some FUN Flower Arrangements, Fund Raisers or Campaigns. 

It’s Time to Share the FUN of Flowers… and GIVE BACK to your local community! Creating was NEVER so Fun…with Amazing Products tailored to the PINK Breast Cancer Awareness theme… Vases from FloraGlas, "HOPE" Bouquets from FernTrust, PINK Ribbon from Reliant Ribbon, Arrangement Solution Kits from GOLDEN FLOWERS, and Unique Pink Flowers from Amy’s Orchids, Eufloria or KB Farms… You can Tailor and Create the PERFECT Fundraiser to raise community awareness and benefit your LOCAL Campaigns!

Kim Carson, Nationally Known Radio Personality , from WLHT here in Grand Rapids and HOST of FAITH,HOPE & LOVE Songs … shared her talents with us… It’s so interesting watching Kim design flowers… in the webisode, I love it when she realizes… it’s FUN and that SHE Really is creating something BEAUTIFUL! 

Not To bad for a Virgin Flower Designer… Kim YOU DID Great! Check out My Facebook Album from the JTV Production with Kim Carson!

And the best part of this experience?… SIMPLE: It’s  where I share Love and Laughter with my Friend… KIM! I love this picture… It makes me feel warm and fuzzy… and I’ll Remember it forever! 

Share YOUR Passion for Flowers in OCTOBER… Create a Campaign… to raise awareness and Benefit Cancer Research, Campaigns and Survivors! 

All of our Fern-tastic floral design projects have been entered…now it’s time for you, our Awesome uBloom Community Members, to have YOUR say in our JTV/uBloom Leatherleaf Design Contest!  Voting is NOW OPEN (to all uBloom Members) to cast your VOTE for the Leatherleaf project YOU think should WIN the "PEOPLE’S CHOICE" award! 

Voting Starts TODAY and will continue through Friday, Sept. 10th…when polls will close at midnight.  Each uBloom Member will have the opportunity to vote for ONE project…so cast your vote carefully.  Fraudulent votes will be immediately disqualified…so let’s play NICE!

Our People’s Choice Winner will receive a surprise JTV package…full of GREAT FLOWER GOODIES from J!  

Good luck to all of our contestants…everyone did such a fabulous job on their designs…it’s going to be hard for uBloomers to choose!  NOW, let the Voting BEGIN!

As the CA Grown Journey comes to a close, I got the opportunity to visit Mellano & Company in OceanSide CA!

We arrived at Mellano & Company to meet with Michelle Castellano, 3rd Generation Flower Farmer… an Exciting, Energetic and Enthusiastic Spokesperson for Mellano and our Great Flower Industry! We Love Michelle!

Mellano & Co. Believes in sharing the FLOWER Message with Everyone… and continues to Lead the Industry in Flower Promotion with their Truck Signage!

The Flower and Foliage Fields (and HILLS) at Mellano are distinctively different from other Flower Farms we visited…Mellano’s attention to detail in growing the right crop in the right location at the right time forms a literal patchwork quilt of CA Grown Flowers and Foliage to the Oceanside Landscape!

A multi-generational family business, Mellano is known throughout the Flower Industry for their Incredible Myrtle, while Mike Mellano shared the incredible diversity of product the Mellano Family Flower Farms provide for our Great Flower Industry!

The Focus on People at Mellano is just as important as the Flowers and Foliages. We had the opportunity to speak to so many EXPERTS at Mellano … in every aspect of their incredibly diverse business…

Michelle and Mike were incredible hosts… we felt like we merely scratched the surface at Mellano & Company and can’t wait to return in the Spring of 2011 for a Tour of the Carlsbad Flower Fields! That is really going to be something to behold…

Our Final Stop on the CA Grown Experience was Resendiz Brothers in Fallbrook CA!

We were greeted at the Gate by PROTEA Wreaths hand created by the crew at Resendiz…

Owner Isamel Resendiz  “Mel” and Diana made us feel right at home…Don’t miss "Mel’s BEE Story"  on the CA Grown Experience

Again the diverse mountain landscape and amazing Protea Flowers and Unique foliages let us know we were about to see yet another UNUSUAL Flower Farm.

Our Director Chris Randall… FINALLY found his favorite Flower… The KING PROTEA!

“Mel” took us UP into the Flower Fields at Resendiz… Talk about an amazing FINALE’ To our CA Grown Experience…With “Mel” behind the wheel we went where Few Florists get to go… UP (and DOWN) into the Resendiz Flower Fields…

Diana and “Mel” had planned a special WRAP Party for the JTV Crew, with Incredible Cuisine and Liquid Libations…with an incredible view of the Resendiz Brothers Mountains filled with Flowers!

As the Sun set in Fallbrook…

We realized our First CA Grown Experience had come to an end… What an amazing trip…Truly a TRIP of a Lifetime…  Touring the California Flower Farms and Meeting the Farmers of California! To all our Flower Friends…Both Old and NEW… A Toast… To a Lifetime Filled with Flowers! CHEERS!

We finally caught up with Kasey Cronquist, Ambassador to the Flower Industry for the California Cut Flower Commission. Kasey was instrumental in coordinating with the Flower Farmers we featured on the CA Grown Experience.

Kasey has been hard at work for the Flower Farmers in the Industry, and we had been in communication, and I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting Kasey in person until today! Kasey and I discussed the important role the CCFC plays for the Flower Resources, Flower Farms and Farmers in California. We also discussed the NEW Hint Card campaign that encourages MORE Everyday Flower Purchases!

Kasey lives and works in the middle of the Flower Fields in Carpinteria, amazingly close to the action and activities that form and affect the CA Flower Farmers he helps represent.

It’s NOT A CA Grown Experience if We Don’t get to see some Dogs… and Kasey Introduced us to L.C. Beau and Bootie… His Canine Companions…

Then we were off to Oxnard to visit The SunValley Group Oxnard Division.

Garrit VanderKooy General Manager (and Dedicated Flower Farmer) toured us through this Incredible Flower Farm.

The Vast Size of this Flower Farm and the attention to detail was overwhelming, watching Flowers Progress from Seed, to Seedling to maturity in their SunValley fields…

Garrit walked us through the LIFE Cycle of the Famous SunValley Lily, and it gave Garrit the opportunity to do what he loves best.. dig in the dirt and show us the performance of SunValley Growing operations…

Here we got to see the fruits of that labor… as the Lilies begin to set buds…

From Seed, to Field, to Harvest to Bouquets… SunValley provides Industry Famous Quality with CA Grown Flowers… The Quality and Dedicaton of SunValley is so impressive and shows so graphically in the Flowers they Provide to our Great Flower Industry!

Day 9 was Filled with Information and provided even more educational experiences … We learn more everyday about the Flower Farms in California!

What do you get when you combine the flower fun of J Schwanke and uBloom, with the magical wonder of Disney?  You get the uBloom Disney Day at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, of course!  If you missed out on this exciting day at Disney with J and fellow uBloomers…don’t worry, our amazing Event’s Expert, Suzanne Smith took lots of pics and posted them in the uBloom Gallery for us to enjoy!  See J, Kelly, Suzanne and some of our fabulous uBloom Community Members experience Disney like never before….uBloom style!  Check out the buttons Suzanne made for uBloomers to wear…she is so creative!  And as you can see in the picture above, uBloomers truly had a BLOOMING Magical day at Disneyland…with help from J, Suzanne, and a little pinch of pixie dust!   See the entire gallery of uBloom Disney Day photos …and make a little wish upon a star…who knows…it just might come true!