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ENLARGE
LaDonna Frieze, custom silk designer at Long’s Flowers in Roseburg, puts a bow on the top of a miniature Christmas tree.
Flower arranging more difficult than it looks
It’s not as easy as it looks. Arranging flowers, that is.
I found that out spending a morning at Long’s Flowers on Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg.
And I was making what’s considered one of the “easy” bouquets — a “Happy Face” one.
I started with an oversized, taxi-yellow mug with a smiley face on it. I dropped a square of green foam, called oasis, into the cup and threw in some flower preservative.
Carol Ellington, the fresh designer at the store, showed me how to break off small pieces of greenery from bigger branches and how to poke them into the oasis.
But I soon learned that you need to be decisive in your poking. If you poke in a piece then decide to move it, you’re left with an oasis that looks like Swiss cheese. Then it’s hard to stick in other pieces and make them stand up straight, Ellington explained patiently.
Using a small, short knife to shorten lengths of yellow roses and daisies was the next challenge. Ellington effortlessly swiped the knife toward her, shearing the flower stems. I, meanwhile, fumbled with the knife, all the while envisioning shearing my thumb as well as the stem.
Then I had to try to maintain the triangle-like shape of my arrangement as I added white carnations and baby’s breath.
Although Ellington’s arrangement clearly approximated a triangle, mine was definitely squatter and more tilted than textbook triangles. In fact, it more closely resembled a Hershey’s kiss that had been left in the sun too long.
In the end, a bouquet that Ellington says she can make in about 12 minutes took me a half hour, easy.
But despite my lack of talent, I have to say it was a fun way to spend the morning. Playing with the flowers and figuring out how they might look best together was a great creative, relaxing release.
Listening to the cheerful banter of the other designers, overhearing customers’ coming in or calling for flower orders, seeing the FedEx man come in and out, all added to the store’s cheery ambiance, no matter how corny that may sound.
At the end of the morning, store manager Debbie Tucker and others complimented me on my arrangement. And although I suspect they were just being nice, it was a lovely way to while away my time.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
I found that out spending a morning at Long’s Flowers on Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg.
And I was making what’s considered one of the “easy” bouquets — a “Happy Face” one.
I started with an oversized, taxi-yellow mug with a smiley face on it. I dropped a square of green foam, called oasis, into the cup and threw in some flower preservative.
Carol Ellington, the fresh designer at the store, showed me how to break off small pieces of greenery from bigger branches and how to poke them into the oasis.
But I soon learned that you need to be decisive in your poking. If you poke in a piece then decide to move it, you’re left with an oasis that looks like Swiss cheese. Then it’s hard to stick in other pieces and make them stand up straight, Ellington explained patiently.
Using a small, short knife to shorten lengths of yellow roses and daisies was the next challenge. Ellington effortlessly swiped the knife toward her, shearing the flower stems. I, meanwhile, fumbled with the knife, all the while envisioning shearing my thumb as well as the stem.
Then I had to try to maintain the triangle-like shape of my arrangement as I added white carnations and baby’s breath.
Although Ellington’s arrangement clearly approximated a triangle, mine was definitely squatter and more tilted than textbook triangles. In fact, it more closely resembled a Hershey’s kiss that had been left in the sun too long.
In the end, a bouquet that Ellington says she can make in about 12 minutes took me a half hour, easy.
But despite my lack of talent, I have to say it was a fun way to spend the morning. Playing with the flowers and figuring out how they might look best together was a great creative, relaxing release.
Listening to the cheerful banter of the other designers, overhearing customers’ coming in or calling for flower orders, seeing the FedEx man come in and out, all added to the store’s cheery ambiance, no matter how corny that may sound.
At the end of the morning, store manager Debbie Tucker and others complimented me on my arrangement. And although I suspect they were just being nice, it was a lovely way to while away my time.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
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ENLARGE
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Long’s Flowers employee LaDonna Frieze creates a Christmas decoration in her crowded and colorful work space at the Roseburg store.
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Long’s Flowers fresh designer Carol Ellington takes a completed arrangement to the cooler after creating it.
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Peggy Johnson sticks single roses into tall bud vases filled with greenery.
Carol Ellington adds baby’s breath to a bouquet of orange and yellow lilies.
And store manager Debbie Tucker greets customers and answers the phone.
It’s a recent morning at Long’s Flowers on Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg.
LaDonna Frieze, the store’s custom silk designer, mills about the many silk creations that fill the store’s front showroom, from silver-and-white-trimmed Christmas trees to autumn-hued centerpieces to porcelain-faced dolls dressed in pastel colors.
Frieze has worked at the store for 22 years. She spends much of her time in a small space in a back room where she makes all the silk arrangements.
When she’s not doing that, she puts together custom orders for some of her regular patrons, some of whom she’s worked with for years.
Carol Ellington adds baby’s breath to a bouquet of orange and yellow lilies.
And store manager Debbie Tucker greets customers and answers the phone.
It’s a recent morning at Long’s Flowers on Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg.
LaDonna Frieze, the store’s custom silk designer, mills about the many silk creations that fill the store’s front showroom, from silver-and-white-trimmed Christmas trees to autumn-hued centerpieces to porcelain-faced dolls dressed in pastel colors.
Frieze has worked at the store for 22 years. She spends much of her time in a small space in a back room where she makes all the silk arrangements.
When she’s not doing that, she puts together custom orders for some of her regular patrons, some of whom she’s worked with for years.
One of them has asked her to supply a Christmas tree for every room of her home. Another has asked for a tree “in silver and white with lots of glitz,” Frieze said with a smile.
Sometimes the customers bring in swatches of fabric for Frieze to match in her arrangements. Other times she’ll go to customers’ homes.
“I enjoy it,” she said of her work. “It’s something I don’t tire of. It’s never boring and I like the people,” she added, noting several customers have become friends.
She also likes working part time. Aside from Tucker, all the store’s 10 employees work part time.
Sometimes the customers bring in swatches of fabric for Frieze to match in her arrangements. Other times she’ll go to customers’ homes.
“I enjoy it,” she said of her work. “It’s something I don’t tire of. It’s never boring and I like the people,” she added, noting several customers have become friends.
She also likes working part time. Aside from Tucker, all the store’s 10 employees work part time.
Elsewhere in the store, just behind the counter, Ellington explains the life of being a fresh designer, someone who works with fresh flowers.
She puts together orders as they come in, typically about 22 to 30 a day. But that number soars around holidays. Her record is 135.
In her 17 years at the store, she’s also learned some tricks of the trade. Customers either like all-rose bouquets or mixed bouquets; the breakdown is about 50/50, she said.
Some customers prefer pink and yellow color combinations; other prefer seasonal palettes. But with bouquets destined for men, it’s best to stick with reds, purples and yellows.
“I love my job,” Ellington said. “It’s fun being creative and making arrangements.”
“We’re all good buds,” she said of her co-workers. “It’s a friendly place to be.”
Tucker said the work is fun and rewarding. “Usually it’s happy occasions, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries” that customers want help with. “We also share people’s sorrow for funerals,” she said.
Sue Long, who has owned the business with her husband, Brent, since 1979, said she likes how her vocation keeps her abreast of significant life events among community members.
But working in a flower shop has its challenges, too. Ellington said handling so many thorny roses near Valentine’s Day leaves her hands swollen and spotted.
Frieze inadvertently once impaled her hand with a pointed steel pick she uses to attach silk flowers. She now has a nickname for the machine that attaches the picks to flowers: the death machine.
And everyone in the shop acknowledged holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day lead to long, stressful days.
Asked what they do to keep things light during the flower-frenzied occasions, Tucker joked, “Food.”
“Feed us,” Frieze said almost simultaneously.
“We’re usually on a sugar high through the holidays,” Tucker added. “Everybody bakes something and brings it in.”
As they laughed, another customer walked through the front door.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
She puts together orders as they come in, typically about 22 to 30 a day. But that number soars around holidays. Her record is 135.
In her 17 years at the store, she’s also learned some tricks of the trade. Customers either like all-rose bouquets or mixed bouquets; the breakdown is about 50/50, she said.
Some customers prefer pink and yellow color combinations; other prefer seasonal palettes. But with bouquets destined for men, it’s best to stick with reds, purples and yellows.
“I love my job,” Ellington said. “It’s fun being creative and making arrangements.”
“We’re all good buds,” she said of her co-workers. “It’s a friendly place to be.”
Tucker said the work is fun and rewarding. “Usually it’s happy occasions, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries” that customers want help with. “We also share people’s sorrow for funerals,” she said.
Sue Long, who has owned the business with her husband, Brent, since 1979, said she likes how her vocation keeps her abreast of significant life events among community members.
But working in a flower shop has its challenges, too. Ellington said handling so many thorny roses near Valentine’s Day leaves her hands swollen and spotted.
Frieze inadvertently once impaled her hand with a pointed steel pick she uses to attach silk flowers. She now has a nickname for the machine that attaches the picks to flowers: the death machine.
And everyone in the shop acknowledged holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day lead to long, stressful days.
Asked what they do to keep things light during the flower-frenzied occasions, Tucker joked, “Food.”
“Feed us,” Frieze said almost simultaneously.
“We’re usually on a sugar high through the holidays,” Tucker added. “Everybody bakes something and brings it in.”
As they laughed, another customer walked through the front door.
• You can reach reporter Kathy Korengel at 957-4218 or by e-mail at kkorengel@nrtoday.com.
