Episode 711- HoneyComb Blooms

Vintage Honeycomb Paper Decorations are on the menu- this week - in this Episode dedicated to all things HoneyComb!
Watch this episode Now at this Link!

This episode of Life In Bloom revolves around honey and honeycomb in literal and figurative ways. J shares vintage and current honeycomb tissue paper decorations, and how to incorporate them with flowers. A visit to Two Bee’s Protea Farm on the north shore of Oahu. J arrange flowers in golden hues, and prepares a cocktail with a taste of honey. Watch Episode 711- HoneyComb Blooms here NOW!

Honeycomb Paper Decoration are first up in this episode- and full disclosure- I invited my Best Friend MaDonna - (yes- The MaDonna) … to fly in for this episode- she lives in Minneapolis- and she was flying in - to be on the show- just a 1 hour flight- and it was delayed for over 6 1/2 hours- subsequently making her miss the filming… and thus I had to produce this segment without her! I was so sad…

What’s that? Yes… my Best Friend is MaDonna Schmitz- No- not the Rock Star… My friend MaDonna was around Long before Michigan Native- Madonna of Rock and Roll Fame… so we always refer to My Bestie as “THE MaDonna… and those of you have met her- and tried her delicious Candy- she’s the National Sales Manager for Abdallah Candies- a multi-generational Candy Producer- and the candy is incredible… anyone that has ever had the pleasure of meeting MaDonna… would also concur- she is The MaDonna… there is no other…

J adds Honeycomb Paper Flowers- to his garden flower arrangement- in the Garden- featuring Home grown Zinnias and Dahlias- from Craig at Z Farms! Watch this episode and see this arrangement created step by step - at this Link!

Anyway- I digress… MaDonna collects Vintage Paper Honeycomb Decorations… and the ones - I share in this episode- and many many other- I’ve purchased and they reside in her office- at Abdallah Candies…  I highly recommend- their dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Easter Eggs, and Home Made Marshmallow Chocolate covered Easter Eggs… and their Delicious Chocolate Mint Candies… seriously- anything they make is Incredible…
In this episode I show some sample of Vintage Honeycomb Paper Decorations and also some modern ones that I incorporate into an arrangement… and thus the Inspiration for this HoneyComb Blooms Episode! You’ll also see Beautiful Zinnias, and Dahlias (including some laciniated ones… MY FAVORITE) that were grown by my Flower Friend Craig- at Z Farms!

J visits Jamie Barton- at Two Bees Protea farm- on the North Shore of Oahu… to see her Luecospermum (Pin Cushion Protea) in production- this is ONE Beautiful Flower Farm… and it’s amazing to see what Jamie is growing in this Episode of “Life in Bloom! Watch Now!

Next up… we travel back to the Island of Oahu- to visit Two Bees Protea- and my Flower Friend Jamie Barton- that grows protea- on the North Shore of Oahu! This is quite possibly one of the most remarkable locations- for a flower farm- and it’s unusual for me to see Pincushion Protea (actually Leucospermum) - growing on a primarily flat farm. We are used to seeing them on the Mountainous Topography of Southern California… but Jamie works with my Flower Friend Tessie Amoré PhD at the University of Hawaii- testing varieties that will grow on the different climates of the different islands in the Hawaii Chain.
I was introduced to Jamie by my Friend Jenny Fiedler that you met in Episode 705- A Day For Lei…Watch that Episode HERE!
You will also get to Meet Dr. Tessie in Season 8- when we visit her at the Magoon Research Center at the University of Hawaii… it’s a day to Remember- You will love Dr. Tessie- she is incredible!

Our Featured Flower is the Leucospermum -(Pin Cushion Protea) and Jamie Barton from Two Bees Protea- enlightens us and shares the special features and benefits of these Gorgeous Flowers- in this Episode of “Life in Bloom” Watch NOW!

Jamie shares how she and her husband- run this Incredible Protea Farm- that grows some of the most beautiful Pincushions I have ever seen… In this episode Jamie- helps me with our Featured Flower- Leucospermum - (Pin Cushion Protea) and gives us a remarkable education about this lovely Flower. Jamie is one of the Kindness Humans I have every met- I am so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to share “Two Bees Protea Farm” with you- You can see her farm in action on her Instagram Account here… and Watch for Jamie in an upcoming episode of Behind the Bloom- and learn more about her and her AAAAMazing Farm! It’s one of the Most Wonderful Places on the Planet… Trust Me!

I show you how to create these simple- easy and elegant garden flower arrangements- featuring Zinnia, Redbeckia and Sunflowers- step by step in the Honeycomb Blooms Episode- Watch it NOW here!

You know how fascinated I am with Color- and the Next segment in this Episode- is about Honey Tone Blooms- and 3 different ways to arrange flowers in this Lovely Yellow Hue… We filmed this in a New Location in the garden- and I really love the way the path behind me- leads to the PeeGee Hydrangea Bush, and Hibiscus - that leads you past the Crocosmia and Nine Bark- to the Entrance to the back yard… Full Disclosure- this is actually filmed right at the front door to the house… The Magic of Television. The Arrangements feature Solidago, Zinnias, Rudbeckia and Sunflowers- these are fun simple ideas for arranging flowers from your own garden.

The Honeycomb Cocktail - is our Feature for this Episodes #FlowerCocktailHour- find the recipe here… or watch J make it in this episode!

For Flower Cocktail this week- I create the Honeycomb Cocktail- this is a beautiful honeycomb colored libation- that is garnished with a hunk of Honey Filled Honeycomb… and Nasturtium Blossoms - You can find this #FlowerCocktailHour Recipe- here!

Our Flowers from YOU- in this episode are from Charlotte Harelson- who watches the show on Louisiana Public Broadcasting in Baton Rouge. 

Charlotte writes: 

“Love your show! Throwing a barbecue for a large crowd of Master Gardeners in Louisiana and wanted some smaller table flower arrangements. The morning of I collected a few yellow blooming flowers and greenery and two co-hostesses - Debi and Sterling - put together the ten arrangements for the ten tables. They were such a cheerful touch. They used my Esperanza, rudbeckia, clippings from my Moringa and spearmint for fragrance.” 

With our Show theme being Honeycomb- these Honeycomb colored vases are perfect… And Debi and Sterling were busy… just like little Honeybees- Working and Creating a- Honey of Beautiful Decorations for your Master Gardeners get-together… THANK YOU! 

If you want to enter our Share Your Schwankie’s Sweepstakes for Free Flowers- or have your Arrangements featured on an Upcoming Episode- Please send me YOUR pictures of flower arrangements inspired by Life in Bloom - we call them “Schwankies” after a viewer’s nickname. Send them to j@ubloom.com - Read more about the contest- and the rules and guidelines for entering in my Blog Here!

What a Treat to be hosted by Jamie Barton at her Incredibly Beautiful Flower Farm- Two Bee’s Protea- on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii… Jamie and her Flowers are So WONDERFUL! Learn more about Two Bees Protea Here!

I hope you enjoy this show dedicated to everything Honeycomb- on “J Schwanke’s Life in Bloom- Watch Episode 711- Honeycomb Blooms NOW!