Full Bloom judges Simon Lycett, Elizabeth Cronin, and Maurice Harris (left to right) review one of the entries from contestants. Source: HBO Max.
Fans of the reality-TV show Full Bloom — where floral artists create over-the-top, out-of-this-world installations as they compete for a $100,000 grand prize — will be happy to learn that the program is back for a second season, launching Thursday, June 10 on HBO Max.
Wry, charismatic, and drawing on their own wide experience of floral artistry, show hosts Simon Lycett, Elizabeth Cronin, and Maurice Harris return for the new season. This season, they serve as mentors and judges to a fresh cohort of 10 contestants — selected, as in season one, from hundreds of applicants representing a diverse range of skills, styles, experience, and aspirations (though all had to demonstrate creative flair and a solid foundation in floristry).
One of the new season’s contestants is Antonio Bond, a botanical artist with a maverick approach. Coming from a family of artists and falling into floral somewhat by chance, in his home market of Austin, Texas, he likes to create floral sculptures that incorporate driftwood, skulls, and other found objects.
A distinctive, signature style can be a plus in the marketplace, but it can also get in the way of collaborating with others, as required by the show’s team-effort design challenges. (Contestants also get opportunities to shine on their own.) “That was the hardest part of the show,” said Bond, “working with people you’ve never worked with before, all really confident designers with their own style and voice. It’s definitely difficult, but it’s also really eye-opening.”
Antonio Bond, left, stands with five contestants from one of the early-on team efforts, and a bid floral sculpture. Source: HBO Max.
Bond described being on the show as “like floral boot camp. You’re presented with a challenge, and you don’t have much time to figure out exactly what you’re going to do. You’re thrown to the wolves, and you either make it or you don’t.” He remembers one instance where he thinks he failed, spectacularly: “But I probably learned more in that failure than I ever have in my entire life in flowers.”
Bond was contacted to try out for the first season and declined. “I didn’t want to walk into the kind of competition show where they’re tearing you apart and dive super far into your personal life,” he explained. “Then I watched season one and realized, it’s all about the art.”
As fascinating — and educational — as Full Bloom is from a technical, floral-design point of view, it’s also appealing for exuberance, humor, and sheer beauty. “The judges had me laughing the entire time,” Bond recalls. “And the flowers — we had flowers I had never seen in my life before. Black birds of paradise?”
As in Season 1, most of the flowers came from southern California-based grower and distributor Mellano & Co. “The whole experience was great for us,” said Mellano vice president (and SAF president-elect) Michelle Castellano Keeler, AAF. “The show producers made it clear they wanted not only the best-quality product, but also the newest and most exciting varieties. It’s always fun to see floral artists take our product and turn it into something amazing — and even more so when the whole world can see the inspired results!”
And then there’s the suspense. Of 10 talented, ambitious, undoubtedly deserving, but very different aspiring floral designers, who will win the life-changing $100,000 grand prize? The outcome will not be revealed, of course, until the final episode. But the fun lies in making educated guesses along the way.
Bruce Wright is a contributing writer to Floral Management.