>> "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 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.

>> With additional support from the following... PassionRoses... Suntory Flowers.

♪♪ >> Today on "Life in Bloom," we're going to the frogs.

Flower frogs, that is.

What's old is new again as we explore various types of flower frogs to assist in arranging.

My flower friend Jenn there's even a flower frog cocktail or mocktail.

♪♪ ♪♪ I'm J Schwanke.

Welcome to "Life in Bloom."

Although this is cute and it is a vase and it does have a frog on it, when we talk about flower frogs, this is not what we're talking about.

Flower frogs are objects that can be of great assistance in arranging flowers.

They come in all shapes and sizes, and most can be categorized within one of four materials -- glass, pins or kenzan, wire or ceramic.

The earliest known flower frogs date back to the 14th century, used in the art of ikebana in Japan.

The origin of the name flower frog seems lost to history, but the feeling of many is the name was derived from the fact that many flower frogs exist under the water when securing stems in flower arrangements.

The heyday of flower frogs was in the 1920s.

Yet they have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with new materials and shapes, as well as alternate uses coming into play.

You've probably seen them repurposed for holding photographs or place cards.

Our primary interest is, of course, for their intended use.

As such, join me as I show you different types and how to make use of them with flowers.

♪♪ This is a glass frog.

They come in all sorts of different sizes, different colors of glass, and they fit on most containers.

They're not really made to sit at the bottom of a vase.

They're meant to sit at the top.

And so they generally have a ridge around the backside.

This one has 15 holes, but there's ones that are this big that have 5 holes and ones that have 11.

So, all sorts of different sizes.

This one fits on this cylinder vase.

And the rim helps it stay in place.

But if we were gonna transport it, we might want to put a piece of tape over the top to hold it in place.

But this is for a table.

We're gonna arrange it right here.

And we have 15 holes that we're gonna go into.

Let me show you how we can take care of that.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Now, the holes are kind of tapered.

And so if we have a skinny stem, we can put more than one flower into a hole.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Here's another great tip.

When you have something that isn't very stable in a hole and it wants to roll around or turn around, you can add another stem to that hole, and it'll help secure it in place.

♪♪ ♪♪ I always like to search and make sure to have flowers in every hole.

I don't want one of those holes to go to waste where I could have more flowers.

♪♪ ♪♪ So, you can see this process is very relaxing, and it makes a wonderful arrangement because it helps keep the flowers spaced out.

It's wonderful when the color's unified like this, as well.

♪♪ ♪♪ So, my good luck charm.

>> That's me.

>> That's you.

You're back, and we're gonna do flower frogs together.

>> I know and I'm looking around and I'm a little bit confused 'cause when you said frogs, I thought there would be actual frog stuff and I don't see any frogs.

>> I love that.

Okay.

So, the reason that this is called a flower frog is because it resides under the water in the middle of your arrangement.

>> Oh!

>> And so the technical name for a pin frog is a kenzan... >> Okay.

>> ...which translates loosely into "needle pack" or a group of needles.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> But this is a heavy lead base, so it's very heavy.

>> Yeah.

>> And then it has these needles on top of it, and they're little pins.

And so what we do with that, when we create something -- Here, we'll just use a little -- a little opium pod here.

So, when you cut something, you put it down on the needle, and then it sticks in there.

>> Oh, look at that!

>> And so then this is under water.

So then when it's under water, then this is how your arrangement is made.

>> Okay.

So, this is kind of Zen-y.

>> Right, and so if you want to cut at an angle, you can also cut it at an angle and go in at an angle.

So, I don't want you to be afraid of how you can make your flowers.

So, you know, typically, you and I have created arrangements that are like a little cluster.

>> Absolutely.

>> And really easy to do.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> This is a little more challenging, a little more contemplative.

>> Okay.

>> This is a traditional ikebana bowl, okay?

>> Okay.

>> So, it has a place in the center where we could put a needle pack down inside there.

>> Oh.

>> This is brand-new on the market.

I just love it.

>> That's beautiful.

>> It's a ring.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And it fits right down inside my little ikebana.

>> Could you put, like, a little candle in the middle too maybe?

>> Oh, sure, if you wanted to.

Yeah, absolutely, you know ?

And what I would do is, if I was gonna do that, I would put, like, a cylinder in there... >> Oh, okay.

>> ...and then put a candle in there.

>> Got it.

>> This is actually a Haeger pottery ashtray.

>> Alright.

>> But your needle pack is a round vintage one.

>> So it fits right in.

>> And it fit right inside there, and I was like, "This is gonna be perfect for you."

>> That is perfect.

I love it.

Can we do this?

I want to do this.

>> You want to do this?

Okay.

>> I want to do this.

>> You can do it.

So, you have all that stuff over there.

You have foliages.

You have zinnias.

You have geranium.

You've got some Princess Midori spray roses.

>> So, I'm putting it in between the spikes?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay.

Hey, this can be fun!

>> I know, right?

>> And like you said, it's not how we've done it in the past, where we pack it all in.

>> And it doesn't have -- And remember how I've always told you the shortcut?

'Cause you cut flowers short, you can kind of crowd them down into the base and it looks good?

This is more about longer stems.

>> Okay.

>> Alright?

♪♪ I know how you love to do things fast.

>> I do.

>> Right?

>> I do.

I don't know how to slow down.

This is forcing me to slow down.

Is that what you're trying to say?

>> Exactly.

I think that's great.

♪♪ >> Will the flowers last less time because it's a smaller amount of water?

At least for this... >> Correct.

So, what would we want to do about that?

>> I don't know.

>> We would want to add water every day.

>> Now, that's work.

[ Laughs ] >> Exactly.

But it's a really good thing that we're checking on them every day.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> This is really beautiful.

And when I first saw this -- >> It's a dahlia.

>> It's a dahlia?

>> Uh-huh.

>> Oh!

Okay, so, this is my last one.

>> Okay.

>> And I'm just gonna put it at an angle right here.

>> Look at how fast you are.

It was fast.

>> It's kind of hard to push down.

>> I know, right?

'Cause it's -- >> I'm scared.

>> Don't poke yourself.

But you're okay.

>> Ahh.

That is gorgeous, J.

Look at that.

I did that, me!

>> I know!

Turn it.

Yeah, could you turn it around so everybody can see?

>> Okay.

I thought it was supposed to be this way.

Wait.

No, no, no.

Maybe I want this way.

I did it towards the camera.

>> Okay.

Oh, I love that you did that... >> You know?

Now I forgot which way it went.

I think it was this way that it looked good.

Okay.

>> Right.

>> This way.

Here we go.

>> Okay.

Now, see?

Do you like this?

>> I do like that.

What are these?

>> I have no idea.

>> [ Laughs ] >> A guy sent them to me from California.

So they're from California.

Aren't they cute?

>> Yeah, that'll add a little Cali in there.

That looks great.

>> Yeah.

I think it's fun.

>> I think this is one of my favorites that we've done.

>> I love that.

>> Yeah.

♪♪ >> As a regular on our show... >> Yeah.

>> ...you know that we have a tradition.

>> We do.

>> Yes.

>> Oh, here it comes.

Let me get the hair ready.

>> I know!

>> Oh, look at this.

It matches my dress, J.

How did you know?

That is lovely.

>> It's nice.

I have a special cocktail that I have crafted... >> Of course you do.

>> ...called the Flower Frog.

>> Okay.

>> Would you like to come back and have a Flower Frog with me?

>> Absolutely.

Let's drink up.

>> Alright.

Perfect.

♪♪ ♪♪ >> Stella, or Inírida, has a spiky, ball-shaped flower atop a slender, reed-like stem.

Blooms come in red, pink, and white.

The Inírida flower, also called Flor de Inírida or Stella flower, grows in a small area along the Colombian/Venezuelan border.

The flower was once picked directly from the wild, but thanks to a successful process of domestication, its long-term preservation is now ensured.

Research revealed that the Inírida flower has a natural capacity to extract high levels of aluminum, making it a potential solution for bioremediation and decontamination of soils affected by this metal.

Furthermore, the conservation of the Flor de Inírida indirectly protects other species and contributes to the restoration of degraded areas.

♪♪ Wire flower frogs are one of my favorites.

Well, let's be serious.

They're all my favorites.

But I love them because they're intricately designed.

This one has a heavy metal base, and then this wire is on top.

But this is the really cool part.

It's expandable.

So, you can expand it and make it a little bit taller.

Or you can move it in and smush it down if you wanted it to be tighter.

And so I thought it would be fun for us to arrange it today.

I have an ikebana container here.

It has a place for something to go in the bottom and something to go on the top, but this one fits neatly and nicely inside the top.

We're gonna expand this up a little bit to give us a little bit more dimension.

We're gonna drop it down inside there.

And then our water resides down in here.

Now, the other thing is that our stems can go through, and then they'll go through that secondary grid and down into the bottom into the water.

But I think it's pretty fun.

Let me show you how it's done.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I believe that working with flower frogs causes us to slow down.

I think that that's a great thing because as we're slowly and methodically placing our flowers where we want them, it's also giving us time to experience the health and wellness benefits of flowers.

Looking at the flower and deciding what direction it goes and then placing it so that we have the stem push or press against the frame of the flower frog so it makes it the direction that we want it to is somewhat painstaking.

But if we use patience and we communicate with the flowers and we take the time, it's a wonderful opportunity for us to slow down and just experience the flowers.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ I love the way that this came together, with our draping ivy and then the other flowers coming out of the top.

Again, taking the time to place these flowers where we want them is restful and relaxing and de-stressing.

Flower frogs help us that way.

♪♪ ♪♪ This is another example of the ceramic frogs that we've used.

What you'll notice about ceramic frogs is that they're always open on the bottom.

Sometimes you'll see a little vase that might have frog holes in it that's closed, and that's a vase with flower frog openings.

But this has the open bottom so that when we set it down inside our container, that we're still gonna be able to arrange through it and into the water itself.

The reason that many of these have a larger hole in the center as people would put a candle in there.

But we can use it for a bunch of other stems.

That will give us a stronger vertical access to the arrangement that we're gonna create.

We've got some beautiful flowers here today, and I'll show you how it's done.

♪♪ ♪♪ We're working from the outside, towards the center of the bouquet.

That allows me to maximize the availability of that larger hole in the center of the frog for bigger stems and bigger flowers.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ This again allows us to create a beautiful centerpiece.

able to experience what's different about flower frogs.

I think we use less flowers because there's defined places for us to put I think that garden flowers are miraculous for flower frogs.

I think that's a great selection, is a few things from the garden, one or two hydrangea blooms.

Garden flowers have thinner stems.

And so I think that that's also your friend when you're working with the flower frog because you're dealing with the grid work of the metal ones or these ceramic openings.

Or even our little pin frogs, a narrower stem or a finer stem is gonna slip into those more easily.

I think it's important for us to realize that this causes a meditative quality to what we're doing with our flower arranging.

We're contemplating more where that flower's going to go and where that flower is going to set once we've placed it in that hole.

You might have different types of flowers that you love.

And that's the important part, is being able to gather those things that you like in the container you like and the place you like to have flowers and then create something special that's magical and makes memories for you.

That's what flowers do.

They build memories and they make magic.

Because we know that all flowers are powerful.

♪♪ ♪♪ So, it's cocktail/mocktail time.

>> I love it!

>> This is a great little cocktail that you can make as a mocktail as well.

>> Okay.

>> So I think that that's very fun.

So, we'll make it both ways.

>> Got it.

>> I have fresh limes... >> Okay.

>> ...that we're gonna squeeze in there.

>> And you know what, J?

You know that I'm diabetic.

So this is -- I can drink this and be okay.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> I mean, there's alcohol.

>> But the sugar is less.

>> The sugar is less.

>> You know, you're not using a pre-mixed kind of cocktail mix, right?

>> Oh, right.

>> Alright.

>> This is a sparkling lime drink, okay?

>> Okay.

>> So, again, you could use limeade if you wanted to.

>> Sure.

>> This doesn't have a heavy -- doesn't have a lot of heavy lime action in it.

>> Sure.

>> And so that's why I add the limes.

But you could use a limeade, which would be wonderful.

The secret ingredient for this is parsley juice, okay?

So, we took flat parsley.

>> Okay.

>> And I put it in a mixer with some water.

>> Oh.

>> And I mixed it.

And I strain it twice.

>> So, how much parsley do you have to use to get this much?

>> I did -- This is -- This is a cup of water and one bunch of this.

>> What?

Really?

>> Yeah.

So, this we're just gonna pour as a float.

>> Oh!

>> This is our mocktail one.

>> Okay, okay.

>> And then this is kaffir lime vodka.

>> Oh.

>> Okay?

And we'll give you a little parsley.

>> So, the parsley juice is not the sole scope of the drink.

>> No.

>> That's not gonna be the forward flavor of it.

>> It's just in there, right?

>> Yeah.

Look at that.

And it just kind of sits right there.

>> It does, doesn't it?

>> That's lovely.

>> I think it's pretty.

>> I like it.

Cheers.

>> Hey, thank you for coming, always.

>> Thanks for always having me.

>> Yeah.

♪♪ >> Oh.

>> Right?

>> It's not what I expected.

>> This is actually pretty good.

>> Yeah.

♪♪ And now it's time for my favorite part of the show -- "Flowers From You," the viewers.

Today, I have a few arrangements from Ruth Levanduski of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ruth watches on WGVU and writes, "I enjoy arranging in the ikebana style, which has a very relaxing, tranquil feeling about it and creates a lovely design using very little plant material."

I love your ikebana creations, Ruth.

It was so very fitting to have them included in our flower frog episode.

Please send me pictures of your flower arrangements inspired by "Life in Bloom."

We call them Schwankes, after a viewer's nickname.

Send them to [email protected].

That's the letter J at the letter U, bloom.com.

And watch for more Schwankes on upcoming shows.

I hope you found this episode "ribbiting."

Er, I mean, riveting.

But I guess either is appropriate.

Flower frogs not only assist in the arranging and enjoyment of flowers.

They're also a fun item For "Life in Bloom," I'm J Schwanke.

Well, I'm ready.

>> Are those -- >> And then -- [ Laughter ] >> Are those edible?

What?

>> They are not.

>> Oh.

>> Okay, so, as a -- as a, uh -- uh -- Oh, what's the word I'm looking for?

>> I'm not quite sure.

>> Um, a, you know -- a person who comes back again and again and again.

>> A repeat?

>> Not a repeat.

Like an -- And I was just gonna say incumbent, but that's not good, either.

>> No, it's not.

[ Laughs ] >> Yeah.

What did you expect?

It tastes like the mowed lawn.

>> Yeah.

I expected it to be a little, like, gin-y, you know?

Sometimes, like, the gin, it's that pine -- I don't know why I was thinking pine and parsley, but... >> Yeah.

>> This is actually pretty good.

>> Yeah.

"J Schwanke's Life in Bloom" is filmed in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

>> Visit uBloom.com to access all episodes of "Life in Bloom" plus exclusive flower videos, J's newsletter and blog.

Find recipes, flower tips, techniques, and much more.

Be sure to follow "J Schwanke's Life in Bloom" on social media.

"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 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.

>> With additional support from the following... PassionRoses... Suntory Flowers.

♪♪ Closed caption funding provided by fabulousflorals.com.