It’s hard to imagine J Schwanke, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, needing to prove his “flower cred,” but when the fourth-generation florist approached an organizer of EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival last May about becoming a featured speaker, that’s exactly what happened.
He told Schwanke, “send me your book, then we’ll talk.”
That questioning of his expertise was an unfamiliar experience for the founder of ubloom.com, who, in 2010, won the Society of American Florists’ Tommy Bright Award for lifetime achievement in floral presentations. But it did not discourage him. That same evening, Schwanke and his partner, Kelly Blank, had dinner with Debra Prinzing, author of “Slow Flowers” and “The 50 Mile Bouquet,” to discuss the process of writing a book.
Prinzing, who was a presenter in the festival and "the person who really got the ball rolling,” according to Schwanke, told the couple a book needs three things: high-quality pictures, a good graphic designer and some copy.
Schwanke told her, “We have a catalog on ubloom.com of more than 20,000 photos, Kelly’s a graphic designer and I love to tell stories.” Her response: “What are you waiting for?”
Nothing – apparently.
Within a month of returning home to Grand Rapids, Mich., the couple had selected its audience (general consumers), target price point ($20), length (about 150 pages) and format (how to guides, accompanied with personal anecdotes).
The hardest part was choosing a few dozen photos from a gigantic pool and writing with brevity. “There was so much I wanted to share!” Schwanke said.
To make the elimination process a little easier, he focused on his intent of making lay people comfortable arranging flowers – so out went the intricate, architectural centerpieces appropriate for an AIFD symposium or a design competition. Instead, he went the “simple and pretty” route.
“Flower arranging is intimidating,” he said. “But once you realize you can do it, there’s nothing more satisfying. It’s like a drug. Why else would florists work long hours for low pay and give up all their holidays? It’s because they absolutely love working with flowers.”
Titled “Fun with Flowers: Your Guide to Selecting, Arranging and Enjoying Beautiful Flowers,” the book, which came out January 10, includes 42 projects, each with a recipe and basic facts about the flowers used. Schwanke also included a section for his “five favorite flowers” and another about his “flower friends,” which gives a nod to industry colleagues.
To those opposed to sharing tricks of the trade, thinking it will deter people from using a professional florist, Schwanke would argue the opposite.
“A consumer who likes arranging flowers is a consumer who keeps flowers in the home regularly,” he said. “That’s what the industry needs to survive – more flower buyers.” In the book, which Schwanke is offering retailers at a wholesale price (see end of story) so they can sell it in their shops for a profit, he directs readers to visit their local florists to purchase fresh flowers and tools for DIY projects.
For the next 11 weeks, Schwanke and Blank will be traveling the U.S. to promote the book (schedule included below). Then, he’s off to Orlando where, you guessed it, he'll give a presentation at EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival.
Naturally, he’s ecstatic to have earned the opportunity to finally speak at one of his favorite shows. But looking back on the last nine months, he’s most happy about adding “author” to his resume.
“I had put up so many imaginary hurdles in my head. I thought this would take years and so much money, so it’s really gratifying to have done it,” he said. "Also, there’s just something about holding the book in my hands. Books are kind of like flowers in that sense – you can enjoy digital versions, for sure, but you treasure the real thing.”
To order a copy of “Fun with Flowers” at the wholesale price of $16.95, email [email protected], using the subject line “wholesale fun with flowers books.” It retails at $22.95.
Want to see Schwanke in person? Here’s his travel schedule:
March 3: Missouri State University, Artist in Residence Program, Columbia, MO
March 7-8: West Michigan Home and Garden Show, Grand Rapids, MI
March 15: Capital City Library, Haslett, MI
March 18: San Francisco Flower Market, San Francisco, CA
March 20-22: San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, San Francisco CA
March 25: Carolina & Company, Santa Rosa CA
March 28-30: Niagara Florist Association, Niagara Falls, Canada
March 31-April 1: Hands On Classes In Niagara Falls, Canada
April 8-10: Esprit Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, UT
April 25-26: Campbells Nursery, Lincoln, NE
April 28: Fremont Area Art Association, Fremont, NE
May 9-11: EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival HGTV Stage, Walt Disney World, Orlando,FL
May 17: Capital City Library, Holt, MI
He told Schwanke, “send me your book, then we’ll talk.”
That questioning of his expertise was an unfamiliar experience for the founder of ubloom.com, who, in 2010, won the Society of American Florists’ Tommy Bright Award for lifetime achievement in floral presentations. But it did not discourage him. That same evening, Schwanke and his partner, Kelly Blank, had dinner with Debra Prinzing, author of “Slow Flowers” and “The 50 Mile Bouquet,” to discuss the process of writing a book.
Prinzing, who was a presenter in the festival and "the person who really got the ball rolling,” according to Schwanke, told the couple a book needs three things: high-quality pictures, a good graphic designer and some copy.
Schwanke told her, “We have a catalog on ubloom.com of more than 20,000 photos, Kelly’s a graphic designer and I love to tell stories.” Her response: “What are you waiting for?”
Nothing – apparently.
Within a month of returning home to Grand Rapids, Mich., the couple had selected its audience (general consumers), target price point ($20), length (about 150 pages) and format (how to guides, accompanied with personal anecdotes).
The hardest part was choosing a few dozen photos from a gigantic pool and writing with brevity. “There was so much I wanted to share!” Schwanke said.
To make the elimination process a little easier, he focused on his intent of making lay people comfortable arranging flowers – so out went the intricate, architectural centerpieces appropriate for an AIFD symposium or a design competition. Instead, he went the “simple and pretty” route.
“Flower arranging is intimidating,” he said. “But once you realize you can do it, there’s nothing more satisfying. It’s like a drug. Why else would florists work long hours for low pay and give up all their holidays? It’s because they absolutely love working with flowers.”
Titled “Fun with Flowers: Your Guide to Selecting, Arranging and Enjoying Beautiful Flowers,” the book, which came out January 10, includes 42 projects, each with a recipe and basic facts about the flowers used. Schwanke also included a section for his “five favorite flowers” and another about his “flower friends,” which gives a nod to industry colleagues.
To those opposed to sharing tricks of the trade, thinking it will deter people from using a professional florist, Schwanke would argue the opposite.
“A consumer who likes arranging flowers is a consumer who keeps flowers in the home regularly,” he said. “That’s what the industry needs to survive – more flower buyers.” In the book, which Schwanke is offering retailers at a wholesale price (see end of story) so they can sell it in their shops for a profit, he directs readers to visit their local florists to purchase fresh flowers and tools for DIY projects.
For the next 11 weeks, Schwanke and Blank will be traveling the U.S. to promote the book (schedule included below). Then, he’s off to Orlando where, you guessed it, he'll give a presentation at EPCOT’s International Flower and Garden Festival.
Naturally, he’s ecstatic to have earned the opportunity to finally speak at one of his favorite shows. But looking back on the last nine months, he’s most happy about adding “author” to his resume.
“I had put up so many imaginary hurdles in my head. I thought this would take years and so much money, so it’s really gratifying to have done it,” he said. "Also, there’s just something about holding the book in my hands. Books are kind of like flowers in that sense – you can enjoy digital versions, for sure, but you treasure the real thing.”
To order a copy of “Fun with Flowers” at the wholesale price of $16.95, email [email protected], using the subject line “wholesale fun with flowers books.” It retails at $22.95.
Want to see Schwanke in person? Here’s his travel schedule:
March 3: Missouri State University, Artist in Residence Program, Columbia, MO
March 7-8: West Michigan Home and Garden Show, Grand Rapids, MI
March 15: Capital City Library, Haslett, MI
March 18: San Francisco Flower Market, San Francisco, CA
March 20-22: San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, San Francisco CA
March 25: Carolina & Company, Santa Rosa CA
March 28-30: Niagara Florist Association, Niagara Falls, Canada
March 31-April 1: Hands On Classes In Niagara Falls, Canada
April 8-10: Esprit Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, UT
April 25-26: Campbells Nursery, Lincoln, NE
April 28: Fremont Area Art Association, Fremont, NE
May 9-11: EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival HGTV Stage, Walt Disney World, Orlando,FL
May 17: Capital City Library, Holt, MI
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