Episode #413- Tropical Bloom

Episode #413 - Tropical Bloom 

No better way to create a Tropical Bloom feeling- than making Leis with my Flower Friend Jenn Pascua!

On today’s Life In Bloom it’s a taste of the tropics with a Tropical Bloom - including a large scale party centerpiece, Wall Art made of foliage, I’ll show you easy techniques to create your own Monstera Madness, make Leis with my friend Jennifer, and we’ll also make a classic tropical cocktail.

All we need, really, is a change from a near frigid to a tropical attitude of mind. 

                                                                                                 – Marjory Stoneman Douglas

It's always better to get a Hula Lesson- AFTER a few Tropical Cocktails- and Jenn is a great teacher!

I’ve enjoyed the recent rise in popularity of tropical foliage and flowers - I refer to it as a bit of Monstera Madness in honor of the giant tropical leaves and flowers we see everywhere – both real and represented in fabrics, glassware, interiors and more. These over-sized leaves and flowers are a motif that transport us from our daily lives to a place that’s remote and relaxing! It’s a great go-to theme for parties or get-togethers that most enjoy. Let’s explore ways to create your own tropical bloom escape this week on Life In Bloom.

This Fun Project- will teach you how to create a Palm Tree- complete with Tropical Blooms- on this episode of Life in Bloom!

Tropical Palm Tree Party Centerpiece

This is a fun project- that is large in scale- but can be scaled down- to fit any opportunity. It's created using a mechanic I learned years ago... taking a PVC pipe and adding Nails to one end... then setting that PVC Pipe into a paint can with quick-set concrete... I paint the PVC with Design Master Moss Green Paint- and then have a wonderful heavy duty apparatus to hold one of my Gala Bouquet Holders- then I just add palm leaves- and other flowers- in this case- it's gorgeous protea from my Friend Mel Resendiz- at Resendiz Brothers Protea Farm- we toured Mel's farm - in Episode #102- Protea Long Term Beauty! You can watch that episode here! 

This project will allow you to get your Tropical Bloom on- just about anywhere!

Arranging Tropical Flowers- in Colombia South America- at Rosamina Farms- with my Flower Friend Eli Perez

Arranging Protea Flowers on location at Rosamina

On a recent trip to Colombia in South America- I visited my Friend Eli Perez- and his protea farm- Rosamina... where I had the opportunity to arrange the flowers he grows - at a flower bar- he set up for his guests... Eli was told that it was impossible to grow Protea and other Luecodendrons in South America- but leave it Eli and his father to figure out a way to make this gorgeous farm- the perfect place to grow Protea year round... These Protea are now a year round Tropical Bloom in Colombia!

This is a fun flower project- and we're delighted to bring it to you- very near the Equator in South America!

Our Feature Flower- is the Tropical Bloom- Anthurium- a Classic Flower- with a Natural Tropical Feel!

 Featured Flower: Anthurium

Anthurium are a favorite Tropical Blooms- and here's some fun Flower Facts 

- Anthurium is a genus of herbs often growing as epiphytes on other plants

- The name Anthurium is Greek, meaning Tail Flower

- Anthurium are also known as Flamingo Flower, Hawaiian Heart, Painted Tongue, and Laceleaf

- The Colorful Heart-Shape is Not A Flower. Though it looks like a waxy bloom, it is actually a spathe, or shield-like leaf. Its function is to protect the spadix, which contains several tiny flowers when in bloom. The spathe can come in many colors, such as pink, orange and white.

- Native to the Americas, and first discovered in Colombia, there are more than 1,000 species of Anthurium

- Anthurium are available as both cut flowers and house plants

- Anthurium plants remove toxic substances such as benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia from the air. They exude substances that kill molds and viruses thus keeping us healthier.

- Anthuriums symbolize hospitality

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://anthuriuminfo.com/en/anthuriums-are-not-only-beautiful-they-also-ensure-a-healthier-environment/

https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/orchid-care-blog/6-fascinating-facts-about-the-anthurium-plant

Learn to make this Tropical Texture inspired Arrangement with a SECRET Hidden Trick- pssst... it's the flower foam buried under the sand!

Tropical Texture Trend Arrangement

This is a fun Flower Arrangement that incorporates both Sand and a Candle (it's SAFE way to use an open flame) and being able to use our Featured Flower- the Anthurium to create a Tropical display that is both Trendy and Textural. One of my favorite secrets is the concealed Soaked Flower Foam- that hides neatly under the sand... it's a like a secret Oasis- that allows us to provide some Tropical Bloom- even in the middle of a sandy desert setting... I hope you enjoy this Tropical Bloom Arrangement!

I share these Classic Hawaiian Leis- that I shipped in- but today we'll make our own- using Carnations- On Life in Bloom!

Lei Making with GUEST Jennifer Pascua

My flower friend Jennifer Pascua joins me today for a lesson in making leis - but I’m not sure who the teacher might be - Jenn may have a cultural advantage at creating these South Seas Tropical Bloom Leis!

 Jennifer’s Polynesian heritage (she's from Philippines) brings so much to this episode- and she's able to teach me more about her culture- not only with flowers- and cocktails- but also with the Hula! Jenn has mad hula skills- and has taught professionally... so she game to give me a few pointers- and help me get my Tropical Bloom Hula Skills improved!

Yep- We Made these Leis- ourselves- on this episode of Life in Bloom- featuring one of my favorite Flowers- the Carnations!

I share professional Leis that you can purchase on line... these authentic- Ti Leaf, Orchid Leis (2 - green & purple), Kukui Nut & Shell Lei- are ideal for any celebration and are very popular for graduations- and other memorable Life events. Today I'm showing Jenn how to create a lei- using one of my favorite flowers- the Carnation.

We're using some mechanics that many of us have around the house- A Large Needle and Dental Floss- that's right- Dental Floss is durable and can easily be threaded into a large needle- then we can go about threading many types of flowers- into a garland that can be transformed into a Tropical Bloom Lei- and worn - to turn any occasion into a Special Occasion- that's the Power of Flowers my friends!

I love my Flower Friend Jenn- and she's always up for an adventure in Flowers with me... no matter how crazy it gets!

Tropical Foliage Wall Art

Here’s a fun foliage project that can give any wall the look of a balmy oasis…using a Fabulous Foliage Assortment of Different Tropical Leaves- from Foliage Friends at FernTrust,  I show you how to arrange several types of FernTrust Foliage- into a soaked flower foam wreath- and transform these Fun Leaves into a Piece of Tropical Foliage Wall Art- that can turn any Location into a Tropical Oasis!

I visit my Foliage Friend David Register- at FernTrust in Episode #109- All Foliage: Living Green- You can watch it here... and see many of the Fabulous Foliage offerings- in action in this Life in Bloom show dedicated to Foliage!

Learn more about the Tropical foliage Pack from FernTrust here- and pick up a flower foam wreath ring - that can be soaked at your local craftstore or on line!

I show you how to make this Fabulous Foliage Wall Art- using Tropical leaves and a Soaked Flower Foam Wreath Form on this episode of Life in Bloom!

Tropical Cocktail with GUEST Jennifer Pascua

My Flower Friend Jenn returns to help me create a Tropical Cocktail- and I'm sporting my Vintage Reyn Spooner Drinking Shirt... it's a Classic- and I couldn't resist wearing it for creating the Tropical Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail. The Recipe for this cocktail is a BATCH recipe- so you can create them ahead of time- and have them ready to pour for all your guests!

It's Flower Cocktail Hour- in the Tropics- as we make the Tropical Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail- on Life in Bloom!

Tropical Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

Batched Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail - Makes 4 Cocktails

¾ cup bourbon whiskey

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup + 2 T orgeat almond syrup

⅓ cup hibiscus elixir

Instructions:

In a medium size container - a bowl or mason jar - combine hot water, sugar and hibiscus powder.  Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.

In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients.  Add ice and shake vigorously for a full 10 seconds.

Strain into a rocks glass with crushed ice.

The Tropical Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail- recipe is perfect for a Tropical Getaway in a Glass...

Notes:

When making the batch cocktail, use a large mason jar with a lid to shake or stir very well with a whisk in the serving container.  Because the almond syrup is thick and the ice is cold, you want to make sure it gets distributed evenly.

https://hungerthirstplay.com/hibiscus-bourbon-cocktail/

Have you floated away on a tropical breeze after this episode? I love tropical foliage and flowers and hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas for an escape. For Life In Bloom, I’m J Schwanke.

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Flower Frog Ring Centerpiece!

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Hand Tied Bouquet with Water Source!