Message of Hope- Let's Learn about Eufloria Flowers!

We're doing something a little different this week on uBloom- I've created this blog post with 10 uBloom Favorite Eufloria Flowers Episodes... (they are listed below in RED)Let me give you a little background... here's how this all  came about...Wednesday Morning- March 18, 2020- I got a text from my friend Chad Nelson at Eufloria Flowers- sharing their decision to close down Eufloria Flowers due to the current situation with COVID 19- and additional challenges both personal and industry based...It was a very sad day- and I had sat down at the computer and composed a letter to Chad and Andy- just thanking them for all the Amazing Experiences and Incredible Flowers they have provided. Together we had logged 100's of wholesale and state association shows, 1000's of miles- traveling to California, and Amsterdam to find new varieties- and create marketing materials, and we had lots of fun... shared lots of memories...When I got done with the email- I was in tears- "Shattered" as my friends in the UK so aptly say... and I shared the email with Kel... he suggested I write a blog- that shared the Wonderful Memories I had of Eufloria- (this was very theraputic... at  times of grief I often find it helpful to write) - and I crafted a blog about "Eufloria Flowers- my First Flower Crush"... and posted it on line...Thursday Morning- March 19, 2020 The Amazing comments shared by so many- on the post- on social media- and 100's sending emails to Chad... HELPED! The next morning Chad sent me an update- saying that the out-pouring of Love, Kindness and Support was overwhelming- and Andy had reconsidered- his decision- and would be working (day by day)  to try to save the plants- the nursery and his business.  You can read the updates from Chad and from the Santa Maria Paper in the blog...here!Saturday - March 21, 2020 At the present time- Andy and Chad are trying their hardest to make it through this... a Message of HOPE... this is how we do this... this is how we HELP One another!  We all have to be dedicated-  both now- and in the months and years to come- to continue to help- be kind... and SUPPORT our Flower Growers!!!Our Flower Industry- starts with the flower growers and farmers... without their flowers- we can't fill our vases! (or coolers, or orders, or our customers desires...)Flower and Foliage Farming is NOT EASY!This is uncharted territory- and flower growers and farmers will be making very difficult and challenging decisions in the hours, days, weeks and months to come. There are literally millions of dollars of plants- that produce flowers, foliage, blooming plants, green plants, bedding plants- that need to be cared for at this crucial time.The plants need water- fertilizer- pest prevention, pruning, pinching, and harvesting...  if they are not harvested - they rot in the fields- and that causes disease that must be addressed with more preventative measures. You cannot just turn off the plants... they continue to grow, set bud, bloom and need constant attention. There's so much that goes on behind the scenes before that flower shows up in a vase or a pot- ready for you to buy...And without "Buying" - they can't pay for more plants, more flowers, people, equipment, fertilizer, pest management, harvesting and packaging. Right now- it's Very Desperate times- and the decisions that need to be made are crucial, critical, and incredibly expensive.Let's Learn a little bit more about Flowers and Farming - TOGETHER (after all- we have time... )All this being said- my Initial Plan was to have a Tribute to Eufloria this week- but instead- that "tribute"  has turned into a Awareness Event- that is paired with A Message of Hope- giving me the opportunity to share 10 favorite videos about Eufloria- listed in RED - starting with the 3 Documentaries we did about Euflorias California Grown Roses... these videos will give you background information about Eufloria Flowers and how they grow Roses in the central coast of California.1. The CA Grown Experience visits Eufloria Flowers2. The CA Grown Experience visits Eufloria Farmers Markets3. The CA Grown Experience visits Eufloria's Romantic Garden Roses4. Eufloria Flowers- The FIRST VISIT -  this video includes a project with Spray Roses - that I create on top of a flower bucket in the Eufloria Lunchroom- hehehe!Before the uBloom Crew and I created the CA Grown Experience... Kel and I - (manned with a Handy Cam)- created a grainy little video - on location at Eufloria- (Sorry about the quality- but it was WAY BACK when... before we had great cameras and professional camera crew! However- this is where the idea was hatched about creating a CA Grown Documentary- that then  became the :CA Grown Experience-  3 Series Documentary- that included over 40 different CA Grown Farms...You can watch more episodes at this link and learn about more farms in California-Many of these farms are in danger of closing- running on skeleton crews to keep plants alive- working round the clock to keep their farms open- we'll visit more of them in the weeks to come... to help you learn more about each farm!There's Lots more Eufloria Videos-What's really interesting- is there are over 8 PAGES of Videos on uBloom.com that feature Eufloria Flowers- in JTV - my first Series on uBloom- and Fun with Flowers and J- the on-going series- and of course the CA Grown Experience...5. How to create an All Rose Casket Spray with Eufloria FlowersHere's one of the first videos I created for uBloom- it's a JTV Episode- we created the first season in a commercial kitchen we rented- and it was on the 3rd floor- so we had to Haul the Equipment up three stories- and line the place with quilted blankets for sound...  I'm wearing a Eufloria T-shirt on - in the show... I still have it... it's one of my favorites... This is the "MILVA" Shirt- Chad made T-shirts to match the NEW Varieties of Roses they came out with... and this matched MILVA!6. How to create a Rose Sphere Centerpiece with Eufloria RosesHere's a Video- that features NEW Varieties (back in 2006) - including Marakesh- a BROWN ROSE- talk about being ahead of the curve- this was in 2006... think of how TRENDY Brown roses are today... Way ahead of their time... hehehe!Marakesh didn't survive the cut- it was a Scheurs Variety from Amsterdam- it had a big head- and lots of petals- but the darned thing would drop all it's leaves... so it was discontinued! That's the cool thing about Eufloria- they are always searching for NEW Colors, NEW Varieties - New Styles of Roses- and changing the mix to make the selections even better!Do you want to experience all the Amazing Boutique Rose Varieties that Eufloria Grows?Visit their Website- and scroll through the Classic Collection of Hybrid Tea Roses- Spray Roses - Cluster, Gem and Lace Varieties of Spray Roses and Romantic Garden Roses... don't forget they also grow Amazing Stephanotis- single blooms or bloom clusters on the vine... hey hey!!!7.  Episode 3- The Romance of FlowersOf course Chad appears with Eufloria Romantic Garden Roses- in my Public Television Series- J Schwanke's Life in Bloom- - (you can watch Season 1- All 13 Episodes for FREE - Streaming on uBloom.com/LifeinBloom - or on the PBS App- or check your local listings for the PBS Station in your area!8. JTV Episode from Amsterdam- and a Visit to InterplantHere's another Oldie but Goodie-  We visit Spray Rose breeder in Amsterdam - and we Have TWO Guest Hosts- that introduce the show- Chad Nelson (From Eufloria)  and Rick Rojahn (from Rojahn and Melaney in Milwaukee WI) - then Kelly and I - armed with (the GRAINY Little Handycam again!)- tour the Interplant facility- including the "Kitchen" (where they have NEW Varieties they are testing out)  and the "Hunting Lodge" (a little spot for breakfast for good clients)... I'll apologize for the quality- but hey it was years ago...9. Here's a Two-side Arrangement- featuring one of my favorite roses- VuvuzelaFast forward- to more recent times- Chad named this bi-color garden rose- after the musical instrument they use at the World Cup...it's a gorgeous rose- and this is popular style today!10.Hand Tied Wedding bouquet- using Turtle and Yellow Pompon- from the Romantic Garden Rose collection-This hand bouquet is created with these two Yellow Rose Varieties- and they are just yummy- and it's a great video about providing a water source for hand tied Rose Bouquets!So that's just a sampling and some of my favorites videos that include Eufloria Flowers- and my friends from Eufloria.There are important things take away- from this Special Awareness event...1. We're all in this together- We depend on each other for Kindness and Support!2. Flower Growers are VERY IMPORTANT and we need them to help us continue to "Turn People's Feelings into Flowers! Flower and Foliage come from Farmers and Growers- so that's where it all starts!3. When this is over- the world will be different- and we'll all still Love Flowers- and Need them in our Lives...I hope you enjoy these videos- and remember to Support your Flower Growers- be Kind and Patient - as we get through this together... WE are powerful- and we are all going to NEED Flower POWER- more than ever!