Secret Garden Floral Design owner in Oconto lets flowers guide her

OCONTO - Stephanie Schoel enjoys being creative and artistic in her floral designs, letting the flower guide her.

Schoel, who took over the floral business at 1042 Main St. in Oconto, opening Secret Garden Floral Design in the former Flowers, said that even in a bunch of 10 of the same type of flower, each flower has its own characteristics.

"It's going to have its own curves and shapes," she said. "I really like to work with the flowers and let them shine instead of trying to force them into a certain design."

She said most of the time, she doesn't go in with a preplanned idea.

"Nine times out of 10, I have no idea what I'm going to design when I start; I just kind of let the product tell me which way it wants to go and work with it," she said.

Schoel developed her craft working at Flowerama Green Bay, where she was a manager, as well as at Nature's Best Floral and Boutique in Ashwaubenon, before she jumped at the opportunity to buy her own shop. She purchased the store in November and reopened it on Dec. 1.

Plant products that aren't traditional flowers provide texture and interest, she said. "I like to include things that you wouldn't expect to be in a floral arrangement."

Dried lotus pods, craspedia (a little yellow ball-like blossom also called billy buttons or yellow ball flowers), paper-birch bark, and even décor items can create interest.

She said she strives to create something that makes the viewer want to keep looking at it and explore it, rather than something that just sits on a table.

"I really want it to spark interest, fascination, curiosity," she said.

Schoel operates the store herself, with some help from her husband and children.

"I have always been a nature girl but also love beauty in all its forms so working with flowers and plants is a perfect blend of those two loves," she said. "I like to say I grew up in the dirt. I was following and helping my grandparents around their gardens and farms, and we always had both flower and edible gardens at home."

Since taking over the location, Schoel has expanded the shop's traditional offerings to include more unique and exotic blooms, as well as a wider selection of plants and gifts. However, cut flowers remain the primary part of her business.

"Birthdays, anniversaries, new baby, get well, thank you and sympathy make up a large part of my regular business," she said. "I also love the customers who come to buy flowers for themselves because they understand the value of adding beauty to their space. I've even had out-of-town visitors come in to get something to add fresh beauty to their Airbnb during their stay."

Schoel said she loves to play in the dirt, so "it was a natural thing" to dive into house plants during the cold months. That's why she offers up indoor plants in her store for customers who feel the same or don't have the space outdoors to grow plants.

Besides the more the traditional house plants, she also carries a selection of succulents and cactus as well as some more rare collectors plants. Schoel said among her favorites in stock are Alocasia Silver Dragon and Black Velvet, Black Raven ZZ, Xanthosoma Lindenii and Scindapsus Pictus Sterling. "They have such interesting foliage and growth habits," she said.

Schoel said she will grow some of her own flowers during the summer for customers, but many of her flowers presently come from South America or Europe. She also anticipates working with local flower farmers to offer them for sale when possible.

Secret Garden Floral Design offers delivery within a 30-mile radius that includes as far north as Marinette, south as Suamico, west to Gillett and "about everyplace in between." Schoel said she encourages advance orders, as there may be some limitations for same-day deliveries, depending on how far away and how busy she is in the shop.

Secret Garden Floral Design is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (920) 834-4275 and website is secretgardenfloraldesign.com.

Contact Kevin Dittman at 920-431-8416 or [email protected].

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